This quick math puzzle looks simple, but the order of operations can easily trip you up if you rush.
The expression is:
5 + 8 × 0 + 2
The important rule is that multiplication comes before addition.
Start with:
8 × 0 = 0
Now replace that part of the expression:
5 + 0 + 2
Then complete the addition:
5 + 2 = 7
A common mistake is to calculate from left to right and add 5 + 8 first. Another mistake is assuming that because there is a multiplication by zero, the entire expression must equal zero. That is not how it works—the zero only affects the 8 being multiplied by it.
So the correct answer is:
7
It is a very short problem, but that ×0 is enough to make plenty of people stop and second-guess themselves.
Answer: 7.
