Here is a short math challenge that looks straightforward until people rush through it:
24 + 6 × 0 + 5 = ?
Remember the order of operations
Multiplication comes before addition. That means we do not simply read the numbers from left to right.
Start by working out 6 × 0 = 0. Then the expression becomes 24 + 0 + 5.
The answer
24 + 6 × 0 + 5 = 29.
The zero is what makes this challenge deceptively simple. Anything multiplied by zero equals zero, so the middle term drops out.
Did you get 29 on your first try? Share this quick puzzle with someone who enjoys mental arithmetic and see whether the order of operations catches them out.
