(8 divided by 4 times 2)squared – (5 times 2 cubed) =? Many will get this Basic Math problem WRONG!

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[luillierstephane]

-24

I have to say :
"Thanks to PEMDAS !"

[tomtke]

16-40
-24

note replace "÷4" with "×(1/4)"
and mutiplication order is important;
8÷4×2
=8×(1/4)×2 =4
=8×2×(1/4) =4
=2×8×(1/4) =4
=(1/4)×2×8 =4

[chrisdissanayake]

Answer: -24

——————————-
(8➗ 4 x 2)^2-(5x2^3)

Following PEMDAS,

(4^2)-(5x8)
16-40= -24

[ashokpatil]

For me I remember PELMA, subtraction or division can be taken as negative addition and Inverse multiplication respectively...!

[RandyLunn]

In the 1960’s we learned “My Dear Aunt Sally” and that operations were performed in that order. When did the (MD/DM) order rule come in the change the rule?

[Stylux-zp]

(8 : 4 · 2)² - (5 · 2³) = ?

1st term of the subtraction :
(8 : 4 · 2)² = ((8 : 4) · 2)² = (2 · 2)² = (4)² = 16
2nd term of the subtraction :
(5 · 2³) = (5 · (2³)) = (5 · 8) = 40

16 - 40 = (40 - 16) · -1 = -24✅

[lindadeavours]

❤️ I couldn’t do this in high school, but at 73, I love trying these problems.

[tobiasware]

Although, to me at least, this is basic stuff, thank you for keeping my brain facile. It's a pleasure working out the problems.

[larry]

Now, is it “8/4” or “4*2, ” that is the burning 🔥 question, isn’t it?

[rmar]

8/4=2
2*2=4
4^2=16
2^3=8
5*8=40
16-40=-24

[geogeo]

Teaching the order of operations is stupidity in practice.

It was imposed by typesetters because it was too hard to typeset non ambiguous expressions. Typesetting no longer has these limitations and hasn’t for 100 years. You will rarely find ambiguous expressions in any printed work nowadays. PEMDAS et al are obsolete. The only place it is used is in employment tests to determine if a candidate can follow rules without question. It is not a measure of the ability to do math. In fact, no real mathematician would write such an expression.

The focus should be on teaching students how to express themselves in a non ambiguous manner.

[peacehappyb]

-24. I saw the answer and did not like it so I went over again and it came to -24.

[russelllomando]

got -24 basic PEMDAS thanks for the fun. (2 X 2)^2 - (5 X 8) 16 - 40 = -24

[sweenyamada]

Follow PEMDAS and that's what you get, -24

[Tantrum]

-24 is the wrong answer….. it is of course -39. Even PEMDAS says so. First parentheses then exponents then multiplication THEN division then addition then subtraction. These rules apply also between parentheses. The mathematical operations multiplication and division are NOT equal and the rule to do whatever comes first is wrong.

[Christopherdpenha]

John the JACKASS, who has special ability to make a mountain of a molehill 🥸