Solve the Expression: 8 - 2 + 6 Using Basic Arithmetic

Great question! While 2 + 6 = 8 is easier to calculate, you must follow the left-to-right rule for same-level operations. Addition and subtraction have equal priority, so you solve them in order from left to right.

Getting 0 usually means you grouped 2 + 6 first, then subtracted from 8. Remember: $8 - (2 + 6)$ would give 0, but our expression is $8 - 2 + 6$ without parentheses!

Think of it like reading! You read words from left to right, so solve math the same way. When operations have the same priority (like + and -), always work left to right.

Yes! You can think ahead: since you're subtracting 2 and adding 6, that's a net addition of 4. So $8 + 4 = 12$. But always verify using the left-to-right method!

Parentheses change everything! If you saw $8 - (2 + 6)$, you'd solve the parentheses first: $8 - 8 = 0$. But without parentheses, stick to left-to-right order.