Grade-school math sum leaves people scratching their heads… can you solve the simple problem in 30 seconds?

What seemed like a regular grade school math problem had people totally stumped on social media. 

The equation 9 x 3 – 9 shared by @BholanathDutta on X left social media users completely mystified.

So, are you smarter than a fourth grader? Or better yet, the average adult on X?

See if you can solve this equation in 30 seconds or less. 

But first, here’s a hint: Ever heard of PEMDAS?

The age-old acronym guides you through the proper order for solving a complicated calculation like this one. 

It stands for Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, and then Subtraction. 

Using that method, the solution is easy. There are no parentheses or exponents, so multiplication is first. 

What seemed like a regular math problem, had wannabe mathematicians on social media totally stumped

9 x 3 = 27 

Then, the equation reads:

27 – 9 ÷ 3

But before doing any subtraction, PEMDAS implies that division is next. 

9 ÷ 3 = 3

Now, it’s painless.

27 – 3 = 24

Did you get it right? 

Ever heard of PEMDAS? The acronym guides you through each step in solving a complicated math problem like this one

Commenters under the original X post made the common error of solving the math sum left to right, instead of utilizing the elementary principle. 

First they multiplied. 

9 x 3 = 27

Then, subtracted. 

27 – 9 = 18

And then divided. 

18 ÷ 3 = 6

A few people even, inexplicably, got 9 as their answer. It had to take some mental gymnastics to find that solution. 

Sure, a calculator could be an easy shortcut. But, nothing beats the satisfaction of solving a problem yourself.