Internet Debate Sparked by a Viral Photo of a Simple Maths Question: "Nobody Has Been Able To Get It Right"

CURSORY: Those who saw the viral equation question uploaded on the X app have been engaged in a heated argument on social media.

Arguments over an equation arose between individuals who thought the solution was 4 and others who thought it was 36. Online users responded with differing views about the right answer in the comments section.

Recently, a young woman on the X app shared a picture of a mathematical equation that sparked a heated debate.

Users were asked to answer the equation “60 ÷ 5(7-4) =” in the comments section of the X post that @moyosco0000 shared.

On X, an equation with contradicting answers becomes popular.

Nonetheless, the different reactions from online users sparked a heated discussion among them in the comments section.

The argument arose from the PEMDAS (Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division, and Addition and Subtraction) acronym, which specified the order of operations.

According to some users, the solution should have been 36 since they thought the division should happen first, yielding 60 ÷ 5 = 12, and then multiplying by the parenthetical result, 12(7-4) = 12(3) = 36.

Conversely, those who argued that the answer should be 4 stated that the multiplication should come first, yielding 5(7-4) = 5(3) = 15, and thus 60 ÷ 15 = 4.

Twitter people argue passionately about mathematics

Twitter users are debating the issue passionately and providing mathematical arguments to support their positions as the debate rages on.

SEE POST BELOW

This is causing argument, what is the answer pic.twitter.com/M0kzCMjcmz
— Moyosoreoluwa (@moyoscooooo) December 9, 2023

BELOW ARE SOME COMMENTS

@mamuzoADUMS said: “4. That’s the only answer.”

@drteepie reacted: “I know BODMAS is the most popular method we have been taught here but not all problems could be solved using BODMAS. The question really is what value are you trying to create? For instance, PEDMAS = 36 BODMAS = 4.”

Silvangit reacted: “60 ÷ 5(7 – 4). Using BODMAS. 60 ÷ 5(3) 12(3). 36.”

@Item66 said: “Scrolling through comments and nobody has been able to get the right answer.”

@Saninrooks commented: “Only genuises can get this. BODMAS.”

@MartmagMS commented: “It’s pathetic many people who only did little mathematics are misrepresenting and misinterpreting the question. You need to understand something rightly!