Correct Answer:
B. 10
The correct answer is 10. To solve this expression, we must follow the order of operations, often remembered by the acronym PEMDAS/BODMAS (Parentheses/Brackets, Exponents/Orders, Multiplication and Division (from left to right), Addition and Subtraction (from left to right)).
Given the expression: 6 - 4 + 4 * 8 / 4
- First, perform Multiplication and Division from left to right:
- 4 * 8 = 32
- Now the expression is: 6 - 4 + 32 / 4
- Next, 32 / 4 = 8
- The expression simplifies to: 6 - 4 + 8
- Second, perform Addition and Subtraction from left to right:
- 6 - 4 = 2
- Now the expression is: 2 + 8
- Finally, 2 + 8 = 10
- 8 is incorrect. This might be a result of misinterpreting the order of operations, perhaps by incorrectly grouping terms or performing addition/subtraction before multiplication/division. For example, if someone incorrectly processed 6-4=2, then saw 4*8/4=8, and did not correctly combine them.
- 12 is incorrect. A common error leading to 12 would be to perform operations strictly from left to right without respecting precedence: (6-4) = 2, then (2+4) = 6, then (6*8) = 48, then (48/4) = 12. This violates the rule that multiplication and division take precedence over addition and subtraction.
- 14 is incorrect. This result would likely stem from a significant misapplication of the order of operations, such as performing additions out of order or neglecting division. For instance, if one did 6-4=2, then 4+8=12, and then 2+12=14, which incorrectly groups 4+8.