Jasmine
Solve the problem without a calculator
The task below is a classic math problem from primary school. It is important to remember the order of operations if you want to get the right result, which is not easy after all these years.
Below we can see the challenge. Can you solve it?
Can you figure it out? As a helpful hint, the puzzle is multiple-choice, offering three possible solutions to choose from. Do your mental arithmetic and then decide: Is the correct answer 0, 26, or 50?
Can you handle it? If not, you can find the answer after the picture below.
A
B
C
Here is the solution
The answer is 26! Did you get it right?
(5÷5)+(5×5)=?
(1)+(5×5)=?
(1)+(25)=?
1+25=26
Rather than simply solving it from left to right, the way to solve this equation is by working out the numbers inside the parentheses first and the additional second. This method is all thanks to a middle school math acronym known as “PEMDAS” that dictates the order in which we solve the functions of an equation.