You\u2019re bored, and you decide to search for math problems to solve only to find yourself at your wit\u2019s end trying to figure out how to solve this tricky problem.<\/p>\n
This math problem is not new. You may have seen it a couple of times on social media. And once every two or three years, it goes viral again to test both kids and adults in solving this grade school math problem.<\/p>\n
This equation was already shared millions of times on Facebook and has taken people\u2019s time in solving this tricky problem.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s funny is that this simple equation even sparked debates around the world as to what is the proper way of solving the math problem.<\/p>\n
Are you one of the people who tried solving this too?<\/p>\n
The trick question
\nHere is the tricky and viral math problem:<\/p>\n
6\u00f72 (1+2)<\/p>\n
It may look tricky because of the different answers that we are getting, but this is more of a simple math problem that only gets confusing because of how you solve it.<\/p>\n
YouTube channel MindYourDecision posted how it\u2019s actually very easy to solve this problem. According to the video\u2019s description:<\/p>\n
\u201cI explain how to get the correct answer by using the modern interpretation of the order of operations. I also explain how you would get a different answer under historical usage of the division symbol.\u201d<\/p>\n
Before we can solve this math problem, we need to refresh our memory about the PEMDAS rule and the order of operations.<\/p>\n
(If the same precedence, then solve left to right)<\/p>\n
Now that that is clear, here\u2019s how you solve the problem.<\/p>\n
6\u00f72 (1+2) = 9, and here\u2019s why
\nThe answer to the math problem 6\u00f72 (1+2) is 9!<\/p>\n
How did we get this answer? Here\u2019s the breakdown.<\/p>\n
Keeping PEMDAS in mind, the math problem should look like this:<\/p>\n
6\u00f72\u00d7 (1+2)<\/p>\n
Now, P stands for parentheses, so the first thing that you would do is 1 + 2 = 3, hence:<\/p>\n
6\u00f72\u00d7 (3) or 6\u00f72\u00d7 (3)<\/p>\n
Again, with the PEMDAS rule, multiplication and division have the same priority, so we should evaluate this from left to right.<\/p>\n
6\u00f72 = 3 then 3 x 3 = 9<\/p>\n
Now, MindYourDecisions also tried another order of operations from the old textbook about the historical usage of 1917.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s how some people solved the problem:<\/p>\n
Using the order of operations, the one in the parenthesis comes first, so<\/p>\n
6\u00f72 (1+2) = 6\u00f72 (3)<\/p>\n
Then, you multiply 2 and 3 to get 6 which makes it 6\u00f76 = 1.<\/p>\n
While there is a valid justification for the old computation, the correct answer would still be 9 since this is how we would interpret the equation today.<\/p>\n
Come to think of it, answering these types of tricky math problems are a great way to spend your free time. Plus, you are also developing strategic solving skills.<\/p>\n