I’m not going to lie. I hate math. Well, maybe hate is a strong word. I do enjoy having to figure things out like say a budget or working out the measurements for a DIY project. But I never understood the need for the awful math we were forced to learn in school. I mean, I’m over 50 and frankly have never had the need for any form of algebra, for example. That’s why I found it amusing that a “simple” math problem set a Slack conversation off at Popular Mechanics that kept everyone scratching their heads. In fact, it was such a stalemate on who was right, that the magazine posted an article to get input from readers. (1, 2)

I Got 8 (Blush)

The post “This Simple Math Problem Drove Our Entire Staff Insane. Can You Solve It?” came with a confession: “it practically caused a civil war in the Popular Mechanics office.” A very long Slack debate became quite heated with editors stopping work to try to address the challenge. For me, I did the math based on what I remember from grade school and came up with 8! Well, apparently, I am dead wrong! (1)

Mathematicians And Physicists

According to the Popular Mechanics post, they actually went the full nine yards to figure this thing out. They said they asked for insight from “real mathematicians and physicists who begrudgingly responded to our request for comment to solve the enraging math debate, once and for all.” And apparently it turns out the challenge lies in the order the equation should be worked out. (1)

Ambiguous Order

So, if the order is ambiguous, then it’s hard to get the true answer. This makes sense because math is a science, not a matter of opinion. Or so one would think. However, this little math problem had people discussing the correct answer in detail. Why? Because it seemed to be a bit of a trick problem. (1)

This is how the math problem appears: 8÷2 (2+2). So, my uninformed (and frankly forgetful) mind saw this as dividing the first problem to get 4 and then adding the 2 + 2 to get 4 which I then added to the other four to get 8. So wrong.  Actually, not even close. I added where I was supposed to multiply. Blush, blush. (1)

PEMDAS VS BODAS

Apparently, you are supposed to use PEMDAS: parenthesis, exponents, multiplication, division, addition, subtraction. Yuck. So, if one tries to apply that problem-solving process, the answer would be 16. However, one can’t use PEMDAS in this case according to Mike Breen, the public awareness officer for the American Mathematical Society. The reason? This is an ambiguous math problem. The other side of the debate says the answer should be 1, as those people used a different order to solve the problem known as BODAS: brackets, orders, division, multiplication, addition and then subtraction. To non-math nerds, it boggles the mind and hurts the brain.

Breen also said strict mathematicians will tell you eight divided by two is four, two plus two is four, and multiplied together you get 16. Therefore, this is the correct answer. I asked my daughter and she concurs.