PEMDAS = Please Excuse Me - Don't Ask Something The only way this works to me personally is that in common core math is that 16 is represented as a symbol and not a number anymore. 16 = ♥ - symbol like this and 16 doesn't equate to being a number anymore and is now a symbol or at least in common core (math). 16 would be represented as a symbol. 16 = 1 16 or ♥ is 1 then or equal to 1. 16 / ♥ are both symbols then. 16 is a symbol here then like ♥. So 1 does equal 16 then. Both answers are right then since the symbol 16 equals 1. 1 = 16 edit Add this to in as well. Old math 1 was a 1 and now in Common Core (math) 1 (number) is now represented as a 16 (symbol). The number 16 is no longer 16 from old math it's now a symbol or "16" the symbol. So it changed from being an number or number 16 from old math to now new common core (math) which is a symbol or 16 is represented as a 16. I don't know anything beyond that for now at least. I'm so confused on this one to say the least.