At first glance, this looks like a simple math problem, but it’s a classic trap if you solve it too quickly.
Expression:
5 × 5 − 5 + 5 ÷ 5
Most people go left to right and get it wrong. The key is using PEMDAS (order of operations).
Correct steps:
- 5 × 5 = 25
- 5 ÷ 5 = 1
Now it becomes:
25 − 5 + 1
- 25 − 5 = 20
- 20 + 1 = 21
✅ Final answer: 21
❌ Common mistake: solving left to right gives 5, which is incorrect and a typical trap.