Math problems can sometimes appear incredibly easy, yet a single expression can leave people arguing for hours.
One such brain teaser is:
27 ÷ 9 (5 − 2) = ?
At first, many people look at this equation and quickly answer 1. But is that really the correct result? Let’s break it down step by step and discover where the confusion begins.
To solve this puzzle correctly, we need to understand a fundamental mathematical concept called the order of operations.
You may remember learning PEMDAS or BODMAS in school. These rules help us determine which mathematical operations should be performed first.
Let’s begin with the brackets.
Inside the parentheses, we have:
5 − 2 = 3
After solving the brackets, our original equation becomes:
27 ÷ 9 (3)
The next important detail is understanding that a number written directly beside parentheses represents multiplication.
Therefore, we can rewrite the expression as:
27 ÷ 9 × 3
Now comes the part that causes the biggest disagreement.
Some people believe multiplication must always be completed before division because the letter M appears before D in PEMDAS.
However, this is a common misunderstanding.
Multiplication and division actually share the same priority. Neither operation automatically comes before the other. When they appear together, we work through them from left to right.
Let’s apply that rule.
First:
27 ÷ 9 = 3
Our expression now becomes:
3 × 3
And the final calculation is:
3 × 3 = 9
<text>FINAL ANSWER: 9</text>
So, why do some people get 1?
They calculate the multiplication inside 9(3) first, giving 27, and then divide 27 by 27.
That approach produces 1, but it does not follow the standard left-to-right convention for multiplication and division in this expression.
One important note: mathematical notation can sometimes be ambiguous when multiplication is written without a symbol. If the author intended the entire 9(5 − 2) to be the divisor, explicit brackets would be needed.
Now it’s your turn! Did you get 9 or 1 on your first attempt? Share your answer and see how many people agree with you!