Why the Internet is Arguing Over This Simple Math Problem: 7 – 2(8 – 4)

Step 2: MultiplicationThe notation 2(4) is a shorthand way of writing 2 \times 4. According to the order of operations, multiplication must be performed before subtraction.2 \times 4 =

Our equation now becomes:7 – 8

Step 3: SubtractionFinally, we perform the subtraction:7 – 8 = -1
The mathematically correct answer is -1.