48÷2(9+3) = ????

[jayrandom]

These meme style math problems are frustrating because they make the general public think that

a) math is simple arithmetic
b) simple arithmetic is harder than it really is

I don't think either is view is good. I know a number of smart people who simply turn off their brains when it comes to math and science because, "they're not good at math" but they'll chide someone who doesn't read challenging enough fiction.

[JoulesMSU]

The sad thing about these meme problems is that it shows that most people don't even have a basic grasp of mathematics, as they try to argue that you have to "divide before you multiply" (or vice versa) - implying that they think division and multiplication are somehow different and not exactly the same thing (ditto for addition and subtraction).