Understanding the Operator Interchange

The problem presents an equation and asks for the result after specific operator substitutions. The original equation is:

We are given two rules for interchanging operators:

• The addition symbol '+' should be replaced by the multiplication symbol '$\times$'.
• The subtraction symbol '-' should be replaced by the division symbol '$\div$'.

The reverse interchanges are implied: '$\times$' becomes '+' and '$\div$' becomes '-'.

Applying the Operator Interchanges

Let's rewrite the equation by applying these interchange rules systematically:

• The first operator '$\div$' becomes '-'.
• The second operator '-' becomes '$\div$'.
• The third operator '$\times$' becomes '+'.
• The fourth operator '+' becomes '$\times$'.

Applying these substitutions to the original equation:

After applying the interchanges, the new equation becomes:

Solving the Modified Equation

To find the value of the question mark, we solve the new equation $5 - 9 \div 3 + 4 \times 6$ using the standard order of operations (often remembered by the acronym BODMAS/PEMDAS):

1. Division and Multiplication (from left to right):
   • First, calculate the division: $9 \div 3 = 3$.
   • The equation is now: $5 - 3 + 4 \times 6$.
   • Next, calculate the multiplication: $4 \times 6 = 24$.
   • The equation becomes: $5 - 3 + 24$.
2. Addition and Subtraction (from left to right):
   • Perform the subtraction: $5 - 3 = 2$.
   • The equation is now: $2 + 24$.
   • Finally, perform the addition: $2 + 24 = 26$.

Final Result

Following the operator interchanges and the order of operations, the calculation yields 26.