Answer math problem

Question

What's the answer to this math problem that's on the internet 8÷2(2+2)=

Answer 1

According to Wolfram, the maker of Mathematica and the authority on all things mathematical, the answer is 16.

Answer 2

Here is my answer, I do not agree that 1 is acceptable. The parentheses should drop off once they are computed. Pretend the problem looked like this:

8 / 2 * (2+2)

Wouldn't that change things?

Use the PEMDAS rule now.

8 / 2 * 4

4 * 4

16

When you don't include that extra multiplication sign and the equation looks like this:

8/2(4)

one assumes the parentheses indicate multiplication and the 2 should multiply by 4 first, this I do not agree with.

All the best,

Lori