Answer Is Not 18! Can You Solve 9 + 3 × 4 − 2?

Math puzzle 9 plus 3 times 4 minus 2 on an old grocery list

The image asks you to solve a deceptively simple equation: 9 + 3 × 4 − 2 = ? It’s tempting to calculate from left to right, but this puzzle is a reminder to follow the usual order of operations.

Calculate in the Right Order

Multiplication comes before addition and subtraction, so calculate 3 × 4 = 12 first. The expression becomes 9 + 12 − 2.

The Answer

19. Add 9 and 12 to get 21, then subtract 2 to get 19. Did you catch the trick?

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