This math puzzle looks simple, but it can still catch people who rush through it.
The expression is:
9 + 4 × 0 + 6
The important thing is to follow the correct order of operations. Multiplication comes before addition.
Start with:
4 × 0 = 0
Now the expression becomes:
9 + 0 + 6
Then add the remaining numbers:
9 + 6 = 15
A common mistake is to work from left to right and add 9 + 4 before doing the multiplication. Another mistake is assuming that multiplying by zero somehow makes the entire expression equal zero. It does not. The zero only affects the 4 because those two numbers are being multiplied together.
Answer: 15.
Did you get 15 on your first try, or did the ×0 make you second-guess yourself?
