Math puzzles can look simple at first, but following the correct order of operations is what makes them tricky. In this puzzle, a girl named Sofia is asked how old she is. Instead of answering directly, she gives this expression: 6 − 1 × 5 + 8 ÷ 2. Can you use it to discover her age? 🧠

To solve the puzzle correctly, we need to follow PEMDAS/BODMAS, the standard order of operations. Multiplication and division are completed before addition and subtraction. When multiplication and division appear together, they are solved from left to right, just as addition and subtraction are when they share the same priority.

Starting with the multiplication, 1 × 5 = 5. The equation becomes 6 − 5 + 8 ÷ 2. Next, calculate the division: 8 ÷ 2 = 4. This leaves us with 6 − 5 + 4. Since addition and subtraction have equal priority, we continue from left to right. First, 6 − 5 = 1, and then 1 + 4 = 5.

So, after following every step in the correct order, the final answer is 5. 🎯 That means Sofia is 5 years old. The puzzle is a great reminder that even a short equation can produce the wrong answer if the operations are not performed in the proper sequence. Did you get the answer before checking the solution?