A devilish-looking equation has got people in a tizzy as they’re not quite sure what the answer is. Can you guess it under 30 seconds?
The math problem was shared online by the X account BreakTheSilos, which regularly posts viral puzzles for people to decode.
The question might cause you to do a double take, but we promise you there are four six’s involved in this equation, not three.
The equation is 6 x 6 – 6 ÷ 6.
Answers varied under the X post, with some saying it was as small as five, while others were arguing it was 35 or 36.
Need a hint?
Remember this elementary mathematical acronym: PEMDAS.
It stands for Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, and Subtraction.
A devilish-looking equation has left people scratching their heads. Can you remember the golden rule from school to solve it?
The process starts by going through the letters in order.
In this case, there are no parentheses or exponents, so one starts with multiplication: 6 x 6 = 36.
Next, the calculation requires to do division, so 6 ÷ 6 = 1.
Lastly, one has to do the subtraction, so 36 – 1.
This brings you to the answer of 35.
Did you get it right?
Using PEMDAS, you get the answer of 35. Did you solve it?
If yes, congratulations! Your arithmetic skills are still intact, and your middle school math teachers would be proud.
If you did not get the correct answer, don’t worry. Many social media users also failed the test.
