This math puzzle looks simple, but the order of operations is what makes it tricky.
The expression is:
5 × 5 − 5 + 5 ÷ 5
Multiplication and division come before addition and subtraction.
First:
5 × 5 = 25
And:
5 ÷ 5 = 1
Now the expression becomes:
25 − 5 + 1
Work from left to right:
25 − 5 = 20
20 + 1 = 21
So the correct answer is:
21
That means the correct choice is C.
A common mistake is to calculate everything strictly from left to right before doing multiplication and division first.
Answer: 21.
Did you choose C on your first try?
