A simple handwritten math puzzle has been making its way around the internet, challenging people to find the correct answer. Written on what looks like aged paper, the equation is: 8 − 2 × 3 + 6. Above it, a handwritten message warns, “Answer is not 24.” But why do so many people arrive at 24?
The confusion comes from solving the equation strictly from left to right. Doing that gives 8 − 2 = 6, then 6 × 3 = 18, followed by 18 + 6 = 24. However, this approach ignores the basic order of operations, which tells us that multiplication must be completed before addition or subtraction.
Following PEMDAS or BODMAS, we first solve the multiplication: 2 × 3 = 6. The equation then becomes 8 − 6 + 6. Since only addition and subtraction remain, we work from left to right. First, 8 − 6 gives 2, leaving us with 2 + 6.
Finally, 2 + 6 equals 8. So, despite the tempting answer of 24, the correct mathematical solution is 8. 🧠 The puzzle is a simple reminder that following the order of operations is essential when solving equations, even when the calculation initially appears straightforward.
