This short equation is easy to misread because division and addition are placed side by side. The important rule is that division must be completed before addition. Once you apply the standard order of operations, the puzzle becomes much simpler.
Start with 8 ÷ 2, which equals 4. The equation then becomes 4 + 2. Adding those numbers gives 6. So the correct answer is 6.
Some people get a different result because they mentally group the final 2 with the divisor, but there are no parentheses telling you to do that. You should follow the operations exactly as written.
If you answered 6, you solved it correctly. Tiny equations like this are popular because they look obvious at first glance, yet one rushed assumption can send you in the wrong direction.
