The confusion (likely intentional) boiled down to a discrepancy between the math rules used in grade school and in high school. By Steven Strogatz Recently I wrote about a math equation that had ...

This summer, battle lines were drawn over a simple math problem: 8 ÷ 2(2 + 2) = ? If you divide 8 by 2 first, you get 16, but if you multiply 2 by (2 + 2) first, you get 1. So, which answer is right?

Multiplication facts typically describe the answers to multiplication sums up to 10x10. Sums up to 10x10 are called “facts” as it is expected they can be easily and quickly recalled. You may recall ...