This math puzzle looks simple, but the order of operations is what makes people stop and think.
The expression is:
6 + 2 × 0 + 7
According to the standard order of operations, multiplication must be completed before addition.
Start with:
2 × 0 = 0
Now substitute that result back into the expression:
6 + 0 + 7
All that remains is simple addition:
6 + 7 = 13
One common mistake is to work from left to right and add 6 + 2 before multiplying. Another is to see the zero and assume the entire expression becomes zero. But the zero only affects the number being multiplied by it.
Answer: 13.
It is a short equation, but that little ×0 is enough to make plenty of people second-guess themselves.
