62(1+2)=

This problem goes viral on the internet every now and then, so I was very glad to have an opportunity to explain it on the air. I didn’t have very long to talk so that’s why I gloss over a few details, but the overall point is still true: the (intentional) ambiguity of the mathematical statement is the real issue here. This is not really about order of operations; it’s about the importance of clear communication, which is true of mathematics as much as in any other discipline. For those who want more detail, Hannah Fry did a great explainer in this article that addresses this same question (though the numbers are different): And here is my favourite video, by @MinutePhysics, about the order of operations and the deeper issues that it raises about following rules and conventions without understanding: More reso