This Math Problem Is Baffling the Internet, and Netizens Say There Are 2 Answers, but Which Is Correct?

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This math problem has been circulating around the internet, stirring up controversy among netizens from all corners of the globe. Some math-minded folk claim the answer is simple and obvious, while others claim their calculators are telling them a very different tale.

The problem is this:

6 – 1 × 0 + 2 ÷ 2 = ?

Can you figure it out? And if so, which side of the debate are you on? Let’s delve a little deeper into the debacle. Take a moment to attempt the equation for yourself before we share the answer with you.

Illustration - The Epoch Times

Many people think the answer is 7, but others are convinced that the answer is 1. What do you think?

The potential for confusion creating the discrepancy in this problem centers around a standardized set of rules known as the “order of operations,” and these rules have not always been uniformly used by everyone.

The order of operations determines which part of the problem should be solved first, and this is important, because, for example, solving addition before multiplication (or vice versa) will produce two completely different answers. So, it’s important that there are standardized rules so that everyone is on the same page—just like the rules of a game or the grammar of a language.

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A common acronym is often used to help people remember the proper order to solve problems: PEMDAS.

P Parentheses E Exponents M/ D Multiplication and Division A/ S Addition and Subtraction

One more rule to remember in addition to this is that problems within the same order should be dealt with from left to right. And that’s pretty much all there is to it.

So, using our PEMDAS order of operations rule, let’s go ahead and solve 6 – 1 × 0 + 2 ÷ 2 = ? There are no parentheses or exponents, so multiplication and division come first:

1 × 0 = 0 2 ÷ 2 = 1

Then, we deal with addition and subtraction from left to right, and that gives us an answer of 7.

6 – 0 + 1 = 7

However, not everyone shares the same consensus as to this answer. Although many new calculators, as well as Google calculator, will automatically apply the normal rules for the order of operations, if you type in this equation on an “old-school” calculator, you'll end up with a totally different answer.

Calculators were less sophisticated in those days, and they did not apply the order of operations and simply solved the problems in the order they were typed in. So if you punched in 6 – 1 × 0 + 2 ÷ 2 = from left to right, you would get an answer of 1. So, it’s very important to know your order of operations.

As more incentive, Stanford-educated mathematician Presh Talwalkar, who runs the YouTube channel Mind Your Decisions, shares that in Canada, people are required to solve math conundrums such as these when attempting to claim lottery or competition prizes. So, not knowing PEMDAS could literally cost you millions—if you live in Canada.

Talwalkar’s video on YouTube amassed numerous comments from viewers, who solved the problem in very different ways. “At first I had one,” wrote one person, “but then I remembered PEMDAS and got seven.”

“This is what happens when you ignore PEMDAS in your 3rd grade math class,” another reflected.

“When I relied on an old calculator (when it was actually new), we always had to pay attention to the order of operations,” one viewer explained, echoing the experience of many who have had to override the working methods of old-fashioned calculators in order to find the correct solution to this problem.

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“I asked this as an interview question to a senior software developer just to break the ice,” another viewer regaled, “and he got it wrong and started arguing with me!”

One viewer was even inspired to consider a change of vocation by the dialogue, commenting: “The comments section for this video makes me want to be a teacher.”

How did you fare in tackling this math equation?