This viral math puzzle causes arguments because the notation can look ambiguous:
8 ÷ 2(2 + 2)
Start with the parentheses:
2 + 2 = 4
That leaves:
8 ÷ 2 × 4
Under the standard modern order of operations, multiplication and division have the same priority, so they are handled from left to right:
8 ÷ 2 = 4
4 × 4 = 16
So the conventional answer is 16.
Some people interpret the original notation as 8 ÷ [2(2 + 2)], which would give 1. That is why writing the expression with an explicit fraction bar or extra parentheses removes the ambiguity.
Answer under standard left-to-right convention: 16.
