Can you solve 200 − 40 × 0 + 8 = ? without a calculator? The key is remembering the order of operations.
The answer is 208
First calculate the multiplication: 40 × 0 = 0. Replace that product in the original expression: 200 − 0 + 8. Subtracting zero leaves 200 and adding eight gives 208.
Why people get this wrong
It’s tempting to subtract 40 from 200 first because subtraction appears earlier. However, multiplication always takes priority over addition and subtraction. Another mistake is thinking that multiplication by zero makes the whole expression zero. It only makes that particular product zero.
This is a good quick mental-math challenge because the arithmetic is easy once the correct order is followed. Did you arrive at 208 on your first attempt? Challenge someone to explain each step rather than just giving a number.
