What Is 8-8×8+8 Using PEMDAS? Answer & Explanation

The Internet’s Favorite Math Trap: Solving $8 – 8 times 8 + 8$ Step-by-Step

If you spend any time scrolling through social media, you have likely encountered a simple-looking arithmetic equation designed to spark thousands of heated debates in the comments. Expressions like $8 – 8 times 8 + 8$ look innocent enough, yet they routinely divide the internet into two camps, with people passionately arguing for completely different answers.

So, what is the correct answer? Let’s put on our math hats, break out the universal rules of arithmetic, and solve this viral puzzle once and for all.

The Short Answer

Before we dive into the details, let’s reveal the definitive mathematical result:

The final answer is $-48$.

If you got anything else—like $0$ or $64$—don’t worry! You’ve fallen into a very common psychological and procedural trap. Let’s look at how to get the right answer using PEMDAS.

Understanding the Rules: What is PEMDAS?

To solve any multi-operation math expression without ambiguity, mathematicians rely on a standardized order of operations. In the United States and many other parts of the world, this is memorized using the acronym PEMDAS:

• Parentheses / Brackets
• Exponents / Orders
• Multiplication and Division (from left to right)
• Addition and Subtraction (from left to right)

A crucial rule that many people forget is that Multiplication and Division have equal priority (evaluated left-to-right), and Addition and Subtraction also have equal priority (evaluated left-to-right).

Step-by-Step Breakdown

Let’s apply PEMDAS to our expression:

$$8 – 8 times 8 + 8$$

Step 1: Handle Multiplication

According to PEMDAS, multiplication must be performed before addition and subtraction. We locate the multiplication term in the middle: $8 times 8$.

• $8 times 8 = 64$

Now, substitute that back into the original expression:

$$8 – 64 + 8$$

Step 2: Addition and Subtraction (Left to Right)

Now we are left with only subtraction and addition. A common mistake here is to do the addition ($64 + 8$) first because “A” comes before “S” in PEMDAS. Remember: Addition and subtraction carry the exact same weight and must be evaluated strictly from left to right.

First, perform the subtraction on the left:

• $8 – 64 = -56$

Next, perform the final addition:

• $-56 + 8 = -48$

(Alternatively, you can group all the positive numbers together: $(8 + 8) – 64 = 16 – 64 = -48$. Both paths lead to the exact same correct result.)

Why Do People Get It Wrong?

It helps to understand where the common errors originate so you can spot them in future puzzles:

1. The Left-to-Right Blindspot: Many people read math sentences like a book, processing every number and sign sequentially ($8 – 8 = 0$, then $0 times 8 = 0$, then $0 + 8 = 8$). This completely ignores the priority of multiplication over subtraction.
2. The “Addition Before Subtraction” Misconception: Because the acronym spells P-E-M-D-A–S, some mistakenly believe addition always happens before subtraction, leading them to group $64 + 8$ first.

Conclusion

Math isn’t designed to trick us—it’s designed to provide a universal language of absolute clarity. By respecting the golden rules of PEMDAS and remembering that addition and subtraction work hand-in-hand from left to right, complex-looking social media traps become a breeze to solve.

Next time you see this equation pop up in your feed, you’ll know precisely why the answer is $-48$!