This compact math puzzle is a good reminder that the order of operations matters even when every number is the same. The division must be completed before the addition and subtraction. If you simply work from left to right, you can easily end up with the wrong answer.
Begin with 7 ÷ 7, which equals 1. The expression then becomes 7 + 1 − 7. Work from left to right and you get 8 − 7, which equals 1. So the correct answer is 1.
The puzzle feels tricky because the repeated 7s make it tempting to combine numbers too quickly. But once the division is handled first, the rest is straightforward.
If you answered 1 without a calculator, you followed the standard rule correctly and avoided the most common mistake.
