I feel like I am getting trolled

Isn't 17 the actual right answer?

Presuming PEMDAS is our order of operations and the 5 next to the parentheses indicates multiplication...

2+5(8-5) -> 2+5(3) -> 2+15=17

Other than adding a multiplication indicator next to the left parentheses for clarification (I believe it's * for programming and text chat purposes, a miniature "x" or dot for pen and paper/traditional calculators), this seems fine, yeah.

...I worry about how many people may not understand how to solve equations like these.

Pemdas, parenthesis first, for a total of 3. Then multiplication, 15, then addition. 17. What's hard about this?

5 isn't a valid function name, is obviously the right answer.

I'm sorry but isn't this elementary school math?

I got some people really angry at me when I suggested writing some math expression with parenthesis so it would be clearer. I think someone told me that order of operations is like a natural law and not a convention, and thus everyone should know it or be able to figure it out.

2 5 8 5 - × + for you RPN fans =)

PEMDAS bitches.

Any PEMDAS enjoyers in chat?

Let's not do engagement bait here 😭

(* (+ 2 5) (- 8 5))

Hope some LISP can clear this up

Edit:

( + 2 ( * 5 ( - 8 5 ) ) )

I'm not seeing a single mention of My Dear Aunt Sally. The youth are lost...

Hrmm.

I read that as resulting in 21.

My education system did fail me.

I plugged that into ghci as 2+5*(8-5), and it says 17.

:(

I did (2+5)*(8-5).

Doh.

[Edit: (Double doh! Mistyped that here as 5+2. XD)]

Precedences are just made up social constructs, don't let the system restrict you, you can evaluate this expression however you want. Go wild.

This is an antimeme