Q. What is the answer to 6 ➗ 2 1/2?

The correct answer is 12, when the expression is interpreted using standard order of operations. The term “2 1/2” is read as the mixed number 2.52.52.5, so the expression becomes 6÷2.56 ÷ 2.56÷2.5, which equals 2.4—but that is not how this expression is commonly intended in math problems.

In most math contexts, “6 ÷ 2 1/2” is interpreted as 6÷(2÷2)6 ÷ (2 ÷ 2)6÷(2÷2). Following order of operations, division is performed left to right: 6÷2×2=66 ÷ 2 × 2 = 66÷2×2=6. However, when written as 6÷(2×1/2)6 ÷ (2 × 1/2)6÷(2×1/2), the calculation becomes 6÷1=126 ÷ 1 = 126÷1=12. Clear parentheses remove ambiguity, which is why precise notation matters in mathematics.