At first glance, this handwritten math problem looks like a quick exercise you could knock out in two seconds flat. However, it continues to spark massive debates and confusion across social media because people rush right past basic arithmetic rules.
To help clear up the confusion and show why so many people get tripped up, let’s break down the proper way to solve it:
* **The Common Trap:** If you ignore standard rules and just read the equation straight across from left to right, you will add 4 and 5 to get 9, multiply that sum by 0 to wipe it out to 0, and then add 1. That shortcut leads straight to an incorrect answer of 1.
* **The Order of Operations:** Basic math laws dictate that multiplication always takes precedence over addition. You cannot simply go down the line; you have to handle the multiplication component first.
* **Step-by-Step Calculation:** Start in the middle by multiplying 5 by 0, which gives you 0. Next, plug that result back into the expression so it reads 4 + 0 + 1. Finally, add the remaining values together to reach the true total.
When you follow the correct mathematical steps, the entire problem simplifies neatly.
Answer: 5.
