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Question

If ‘+’ means ‘subtraction’, ‘−’ means ‘multiplication’, ‘÷’ means ‘addition’ and ‘×’ means ‘division’, then what is the value of the following expression?

22 − 4 + 72 × 18 ÷ 31

This question was previously asked in
SSC Selection Post 2024 Question Paper (26-Jun-2024) (Shift-4)
The correct answer is
115

Expression Evaluation: Understanding Symbol Substitution

This problem requires us to evaluate a mathematical expression where the standard arithmetic symbols have been assigned new meanings. We need to follow these steps:

  • Identify the given symbol substitutions.
  • Rewrite the expression using the original numbers but the new meanings of the symbols.
  • Apply the standard order of operations (BODMAS/PEMDAS) to calculate the final value.

Symbol Substitution Rules

The question provides the following specific rules for symbol substitution:

  • '+' means subtraction ('-')
  • '−' means multiplication ('×')
  • '÷' means addition ('+')
  • '×' means division ('÷')

Applying Substitutions to the Expression

The original expression is: 22 − 4 + 72 × 18 ÷ 31

Let's substitute the symbols according to the given rules:

  • Replace '−' with '×': 22 × 4
  • Replace '+' with '-': ... - 72
  • Replace '×' with '÷': ... ÷ 18
  • Replace '÷' with '+': ... + 31

The new expression becomes: 22 × 4 - 72 ÷ 18 + 31

Calculating the Expression Value using BODMAS/PEMDAS

We will now evaluate the transformed expression 22 × 4 - 72 ÷ 18 + 31 using the order of operations (BODMAS/PEMDAS):

  1. Division (÷): First, perform the division.

    72 ÷ 18 = 4

    The expression is now: 22 × 4 - 4 + 31

  2. Multiplication (×): Next, perform the multiplication.

    22 × 4 = 88

    The expression is now: 88 - 4 + 31

  3. Addition (+) and Subtraction (-): Finally, perform addition and subtraction from left to right.

    First, subtraction: 88 - 4 = 84

    The expression is now: 84 + 31

    Then, addition: 84 + 31 = 115

Therefore, the value of the expression after applying the symbol substitutions and the order of operations is 115.

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Similar Questions

  1. Which two numbers (not individual digits) should be interchanged to make the given equation correct?
    $56+ (11 \times 2) - (52 \div 4) + 16 = 76$

  2. What will come in the place of '?' in the following equation, if '+' and '-' are interchanged and also 'x' and '$\div$' are interchanged?
    $13 \div 8-96 \times 6+17=?$

  3. Which two numbers (not digits of the numbers), from amongst the given options, should be interchanged to make the given equation correct? 

    $12 \times 9 + 27 \div 3 - 5 = 60$

  4. Which two signs should be interchanged to make the given equation correct?
    $99 \div 33 - 6 + 48 \times 26 = 40$
  5.  If ‘A’ stands for ‘÷’, ‘B’ stands for ‘×’, ‘C’ stands for ‘+’ and ‘D’ stands for ‘−’, what will come in place of the question mark (?) in the following equation?
    36 B 17 D 59 C 224 A 7 = ? 

  6. What will come in place of the question mark (?) in the following equation, if ‘+’ and ‘–’ are interchanged and ‘×’ and ‘÷’ are interchanged?
    16 ÷ 6 + 12 × 3 – 6 = ?

  7. Which two signs should be interchanged to make the given equation correct? 

    $152 + 8 \times 16 \div 9 - 4 = 309$

  8. What will come in the place of the question mark (?) in the following equation, if '÷' and '-' are interchanged and 'x' and '+' are interchanged? 

    [(48 - 2) ÷ 23] × 19 + 3 = ?

  9. Which two numbers (not individual digits) should be interchanged to make the given equation correct?
    $21 \times 5 - 35 + (42 \div 7) + 28 = 96$

  10. Which two signs need to be interchanged to make the following equation correct? 
    $56 \div 28 - 72 + 18 \times 6 = 60$


Important Questions from Bodmas Rule

  1. Solve: {7.88 × 2 + 2.4 × 5 - 242.4 ÷ 4 + [9.2 × 4 - 2.46 of 3 + (36.3 ÷ 3 - 1.42 × 2)]} 

  2. What will come in the place of question mark (?) in the given expression?

    (420 ÷ 12 × 35 + 452- 152) = ?2

  3. What will come in place of the question mark ‘?’ in the following question?

    (44 of 15) – [(450 × 240 ÷ 60 – 40) ÷ 80 × 25 + 50] – 10 = ?
  4. Simplify: 92 - 18 ( 9 + 36 ÷ 3 × 12 - 27 × 3) + 51

  5. Simplify the following expression.

    \(\rm \frac{3}{5}\ of\ \left\{\left(48\div\overline{36\div9}\times\frac{1}{6}\right)+\frac{1}{3}\right\}=?\)

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