Ready for a Brain Teaser? đ§ âď¸â
Hereâs a quick challenge to test your math chops:
3 + 3 Ă 3 + 3
Looks easy, right? But donât be fooledâmost people get it wrong on the first try! Why? Because the trick lies in knowing the correct order of operations.
Think you’ve nailed it? đ Hold up!
Letâs break it down step by step and see if your answer holds up. đ

Why Simple Math Problems Can Be Surprisingly Tricky đ¤Ż
Ever stumbled over a basic-looking math problem and thought, “Wait, that canât be right…”? Youâre not alone.
Puzzles like 3 + 3 Ă 3 + 3 trip up tons of peopleânot because theyâre hard, but because of one common mistake: ignoring the order of operations.
Itâs tempting to just go from left to right, but math has its own set of rules. And breaking them? Thatâs where things go sideways.
PEMDAS: The Secret Sauce to Solving It Right đđ§
To solve problems like this correctly, youâve got to remember PEMDASâa simple acronym thatâs basically mathâs golden rule:
- Parentheses
- Exponents
- Multiplication
- Division
- Addition
- Subtraction
đ Important: Multiplication and division come before addition and subtractionâand you solve each pair left to right.
Most wrong answers come from skipping this order. But once PEMDAS is locked into your brain, these puzzles start feeling like a breeze.
đĽ Watch Next: Can You Solve the Four 9s Puzzle?
Think this one was tricky? Wait until you try solving a riddle using only four 9s!

The Common Pitfall: Where Most Go Wrong đŤââď¸
Take a look at this equation: 3 + 3 Ă 3 + 3
At first glance, many people instinctively start solving it from left to right, like this:
- 3 + 3 = 6
- 6 Ă 3 = 18
- 18 + 3 = 21
đ¨ Oopsâwrong answer! If thatâs how you did it, donât worryâyouâre in good company. This mistake happens all the time, and itâs all because people skip one key principle: the order of operations.
Letâs Solve It the Right Way â
To crack this puzzle correctly, weâve got to follow PEMDASâremember, multiplication comes before addition.
Letâs walk through it step by step:
đ§Ž Original equation:
3 + 3 Ă 3 + 3
đš Step 1: Handle the multiplication
3 Ă 3 = 9
Now the equation becomes:
3 + 9 + 3
đš Step 2: Add from left to right
3 + 9 = 12
12 + 3 = 15
đ Final Answer: 15

Why PEMDAS Really Matters đ§Žđ
You might be thinking, âIs the order of operations really that important?â
Absolutelyâand hereâs why.
Without a consistent rule like PEMDAS, math wouldnât be mathâitâd be a guessing game. One equation could lead to multiple answers, depending on how someone feels like solving it. Thatâs not just confusingâitâs chaos, especially in fields like engineering, science, finance, and even everyday problem-solving.
Imagine designing a bridge, calculating your taxes, or splitting a restaurant billâand everyoneâs using a different math rule. Yikes.
PEMDAS keeps things clear, consistent, and correctâso everyone arrives at the same answer, every time.
Why This Puzzle Keeps Going Viral đĽ
So, why does a simple-looking problem like 3 + 3 Ă 3 + 3 blow up online?
Because it plays a clever trick on our confidence.
It looks easyâjust basic addition and multiplication. But when the answer isnât what you expected, it makes you pause and say,
“Wait… did I do that right?”
That moment of surprise? Thatâs the magic. It turns an ordinary math problem into a fun, shareable brain teaser that gets people talkingâand learningâall over again.

Itâs More Than Just Getting the Right Answer â đ§
Sure, solving a puzzle like this feels greatâbut itâs not just about nailing the answer. Itâs about training your brain to think critically, follow logic, and resist the urge to take shortcuts.
Thatâs what makes math puzzles so powerfulâthey sharpen your mind and boost real-world problem-solving skills.
Avoid the Trap: Key Tips to Get It Right Every Time đŻ
Next time youâre faced with a tricky equation, keep these simple rules in mind:
đš Spot multiplication and division firstâeven if theyâre tucked in the middle.
đš Add and subtract last, always moving left to right within each level.
đš Pause and double-check if something feels offâyour first instinct isnât always the right one.
Itâs easy to breeze through a problem that looks simple, but slowing down and thinking critically is what leads to real accuracy.
Think Youâve Got It Down? Challenge a Friend! đ¤
Send this puzzle their way and see how they do:
3 + 3 Ă 3 + 3
Will they get it rightâor fall into the same trap? Either way, itâs a fun way to learn, laugh, and level up your logic skills together.

Now Itâs Your TurnâChallenge a Friend! đ§ đĽ
Youâve cracked the puzzle and know the answer is 15ânow letâs see how your friends do!
Share this equation with them:
3 + 3 Ă 3 + 3
Will they follow the rules, or fall into the same trap most people do? Itâs a fun way to spark a little friendly debate and see who really remembers their order of operations.
Math Puzzles: Not Just for Math Nerds đ
These little brain teasers arenât just for number loversâtheyâre for anyone who enjoys a good mental challenge. Plus, theyâre perfect for social media: quick, surprising, and guaranteed to get people talking.
The Real Takeaway: Think Before You Solve đ§Šâ¨
This puzzle might seem simple at first, but it teaches a powerful lesson:
Donât rush. Donât assume. Think critically.
Even the easiest-looking equations can trip you up if you donât follow the rulesâlike PEMDAS. By slowing down and applying the correct order of operations, you avoid classic mistakes and show off some sharp thinking in the process.
So next time a math puzzle pops up in your feed, take a second to pause and think. You might just impress yourself (and your friends) with how spot-on your logic is!