What is the Correct Answer to 8 2 2 2?

The viral math equation 8 / 2(2+2) has left the Internet divided over its correct answer. Some people say 16, others say 1. It all depends on how you learned math and the conventions of your school’s order of operations, known as PEMDAS or BODMAS in the UK.

The ambiguity stems from how multiplication is treated in different schools and cultures. Watch Talwalker explain the nuances here:

1. PEMDAS

While solving any kind of mathematical expression or equation it is important to follow the order of operations. This is a set of rules that helps to prioritise which calculations should be done first. This is typically shown using the acronym PEMDAS (Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition and Subtraction).

It is important to remember that the PEMDAS rule applies to all types of brackets. Whether it is round or square brackets, multiplication should always come before division.

Having the incorrect order of operations can lead to errors in calculations. This can be particularly dangerous when working with fractions and should be avoided at all costs this link. It is also important to use a calculator or computer when working with complex expressions. This can help to avoid any mistakes that may occur due to human error.

2. BODMAS

BODMAS (or PEMDAS if you prefer) is an acronym that tells us the correct order of operations to follow when completing a number sentence. It stands for Brackets, Orders (square roots and indices) – also known as powers and exponents, Division, Multiplication and Addition or Subtraction.

It is important to understand the order of operations in maths so that you get the right answer for any problem you have to solve. The BODMAS rule states that you should always start by solving anything inside the brackets, then any orders (powers and square roots) before moving on to multiplication and division. This is followed by addition and subtraction, again working from left to right.

3. Symbols

A viral math problem has broken the internet by dividing people into two camps with completely opposite answers. This is a result of an ambiguous use of symbols and the rules that govern them, known as the order of operations.

The main issue in this equation is that the obelus symbol (which looks like this: /) is used incorrectly. In mathematics and most computer languages, multiplication has a higher precedence than addition. This means that the expression should be evaluated as 8 x 2(2 + 2) = 16.

Many commenters pointed out that this is not the answer most calculators would give today. However, this interpretation of the equation would have been correct 100 years ago. However, most modern calculators will evaluate the expression as 8 / 2(2+2) = 1 because of the precedence rules.

4. Brackets

When it comes to writing, there are various types of brackets and their uses vary depending on the style of text. Brackets can be confusing and it is important to know which pair you should use for a particular purpose.

Curved brackets, also known as parentheses, are used to add supplementary information into a sentence. They are typically used to highlight information that could be confusing if not explicitly stated. In mathematical expressions, brackets are used to help convey the order in which operations should be carried out. When an equation contains parentheses, it is generally considered that the numbers inside should be solved first. This is known as BODMAS, an acronym for Brackets, Order, Division, Multiplication, Addition, Subtraction. Using PEMDAS, or a different method, may result in different answers to the same equation.

5. Order of operations

A viral math problem has divided the internet over whether the answer should be 1 or 16. The difference is due to how people interpret an order of operations.

Some people use acronyms like PEMDAS, a method popular in the US, to remember the order of operations: Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division, Addition and Subtraction. Others use BODMAS, which is taught in UK schools: Brackets, Orders, Multiplication and Division, Addition, Subtraction.

Those who got the answer 1 were following PEMDAS, meaning they performed the operation of adding inside the parentheses first. This gives them the result of 8/2(2+2)=1. Others, who followed BODMAS, were performing the operations in the correct order and getting a different answer. BODMAS is a more modern convention that gives higher priority to implicit multiplication and division over explicit multiplication and division.