Find Out How Smart You Are – Can You Solve This Math Problem?
The Puzzle Making the Rounds Online
A simple image poses a challenge: “60 + 60 × 0 + 1 = ?”.
It looks easy, but it often sparks arguments because many people compute it in different orders.
The Correct Answer
The correct value is 61.
Step-by-Step Solution (Using Standard Math Rules)
In standard arithmetic, multiplication is done before addition.
- Start with: 60 + 60 × 0 + 1
- Do the multiplication first: 60 × 0 = 0
- Substitute back in: 60 + 0 + 1
- Add left to right: 60 + 0 = 60
- Then: 60 + 1 = 61
Final answer: 61
Why People Disagree
Most mistakes come from treating the expression as if it should be solved strictly left-to-right:
- Incorrect approach: (60 + 60) × 0 + 1
- That gives: 120 × 0 + 1 = 1
- The issue: Parentheses were added, but they are not in the original expression.
The Rule That Settles It
Remember order of operations (often taught as PEMDAS/BODMAS):
- Multiplication and division come before addition and subtraction
- If there are no parentheses, you follow those priority rules automatically
Key Takeaways
- Anything multiplied by 0 equals 0 (so 60 × 0 wipes out that middle term).
- The expression is not ambiguous under standard rules: multiplication first.
- If someone gets 1, they likely treated it like (60 + 60) × 0 + 1, which is a different problem.
Bottom Line
If you follow standard arithmetic rules, 60 + 60 × 0 + 1 = 61.
