Why the Internet is Arguing Over This Simple Math Problem: 7 – 2(8 – 4) check the first comment for the answer…

Step 1: Address the Parentheses (Brackets)First, we calculate the expression inside the parentheses:$$8 – 4 = 4$$Now, substitute that back into the equation:7 – 2(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.