What Is the Answer? Solving the Order of Operations Math Challenge

Math puzzles based on arithmetic order of operations frequently surface on social media, sparking debate and encouraging brain training. The expression shown in the image is: (4 x 4 x 2 – 4) / 2 = ? Below is a step-by-step breakdown of how to solve it.

Step-by-Step Mathematical Solution

To solve this fractional expression, we apply the standard order of operations (PEMDAS/BODMAS) by simplifying the entire numerator first before dividing by the denominator.

• Step 1 (Perform Multiplications in the Numerator):
  – Multiply 4 x 4 to get 16.
  – Next, multiply 16 x 2 to get 32.
• Step 2 (Perform Subtraction in the Numerator):
  – Subtract 4 from 32: 32 – 4 = 28.
• Step 3 (Divide by the Denominator):
  – Divide 28 by 2: 28 / 2 = 14.

Want to see the mathematical breakdown and verify the final calculation? Head over to the next page for the big reveal!