Can you solve this without a calculator? 250 + 20 × 0 + 8 = ? The headline warns that the answer isn’t 250.
The correct answer is 258
Under standard arithmetic rules, multiplication comes before addition. First, calculate 20 × 0 = 0. Now the expression reads 250 + 0 + 8. Adding the remaining values gives 258.
Why not 250?
Multiplying 20 by zero removes the middle term, but the last eight is still present. Ignoring the + 8 would leave the problem unfinished. This is an easy oversight when a math challenge uses a large starting number and zero multiplication.
Remember the order of operations
Always perform multiplication before addition, then finish the expression. The fact that one multiplication equals zero does not mean everything else becomes zero, too.
What answer did you get before reading the explanation?
