You come across a simple addition like “50 + 10 × 0 + 7 + 2” and you say to yourself: it’s simple, in the blink of an eye it’s done. However, behind this apparent ease hides a classic trap into which it is easy to fall… What if we told you that the answer is not 9 but 59? Surprising? So stay with us, we’ll explain everything to you!

The secret to not making mistakes: the BODMAS method

Before we start the calculations, a little reminder is in order. In maths, the order in which operations are performed is not left to chance. And to remember this, we have a very practical mnemonic device: BODMAS.

Here’s what it means:

B for Brackets → Brackets
O for Orders → Powers, Square Roots
D for Division
M for Multiplication
A for Addition
S for Subtraction
Clearly, we always start with what is in parentheses, then the powers if there are any, then division and multiplication, and finally, we end with addition and subtraction. Important: Multiplication and division have the same priority – they are done in order from left to right, just like addition and subtraction.

The expression to solve: 50 + 10 × 0 + 7 + 2

No parentheses or powers here, so let’s go straight to multiplication:

10 × 0 = 0

The expression then becomes:
50 + 0 + 7 + 2

We continue with the addition, from left to right:

50 + 0 = 50
50 + 7 = 57
57 + 2 = 59
Final Score: 59

What many do… erroneously