What Is the Answer to 8-8×8+8? (Correct Solution)

The Internet’s Favorite Trap: Decoding “8 – 8 x 8 + 8”

Every few weeks, a deceptively simple math equation pops up on social media, instantly dividing comment sections into warring factions. People type in all-caps, argue about elementary school rules, and accuse each other of failing basic education.

One of the classic culprits of this viral math madness is the expression: 8 – 8 x 8 + 8.

At a glance, it looks like a harmless second-grader’s arithmetic worksheet. But type it into a group chat or post it online, and watch the chaos unfold. So, what is the actual answer? Let’s break it down step-by-step and look at why this little puzzle trips up so many people.

The Golden Rule: Order of Operations

The reason expressions like this cause arguments isn’t because the math is advanced—it’s because people forget the universal ground rules of mathematics: the Order of Operations.

Depending on where you went to school, you probably learned this as PEMDAS (Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division, Addition and Subtraction) or BODMAS (Brackets, Orders, Division and Multiplication, Addition and Subtraction).

The critical rule here is that multiplication and division take precedence over addition and subtraction. They must be calculated before you move left-to-right through the rest of the equation.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

Let’s take our expression and apply the rules strictly:

$$text{Expression: } 8 – 8 times 8 + 8$$

Step 1: Tackle the Multiplication First

Before we touch any addition or subtraction, we must isolate and solve the multiplication part of the equation (8 x 8).

• $8 times 8 = 64$

Now, substitute that back into our expression:

• $8 – 64 + 8$

Step 2: Move Left to Right for Addition and Subtraction

With only subtraction and addition remaining, operations carry equal weight. The golden rule is to evaluate them strictly from left to right.

1. First, subtract 64 from 8:
   • $8 – 64 = -56$
2. Next, add 8 to that result:
   • $-56 + 8 = -48$

The final answer is -48.

Where Do People Go Wrong?

If you guessed anything other than -48, you aren’t alone. Viral math problems thrive because they exploit common mental shortcuts:

• The Left-to-Right Trap: Many people read equations like a book, computing everything strictly from left to right without prioritizing multiplication. Doing $(8 – 8) times 8 + 8$ gives you $0 times 8 + 8$, which evaluates incorrectly to $8$.
• The Grouping Illusion: Some viewers subconsciously group the back half of the equation, accidentally treating it as $8 – (8 times 8 + 8)$ or attempting to do the addition before the multiplication.

The Takeaway

Mathematics is a universal language built on consistency. Without agreed-upon rules like the order of operations, the exact same expression could mean half a dozen different things depending on who you asked.

Next time you see a viral math puzzle scrolling past your feed, you’ll know exactly how to cut through the noise, apply PEMDAS, and walk away with the right answer—minus forty-eight!