I don't know why you think I've got the left to right order messed up. Literally all throughout high school I was taught that you always distribute the numbers directly next to parenthesis, unless there's an operation symbol in between.

But distribution is nothing more than a form of multiplication. Hence, under PEMDAS, it is the third step, done from left to right, in order, simultaneously with division.

(sorry if I'm mistakenly bumping an older thread, I just thought I'd put my two bob's worth in)

I was always taught by BIMDAS: Brackets; Indices; Multiplication; Division; Addition; Subtraction.
The way I would solve this would be:
6 ÷ 2 ( 1 + 2 )
Doing what's in the brackets first...
6 ÷ 2 ( 3 ) ===> 6 ÷ 2 x 3
The number in ouside the bracket has an implied multiplication relationship with the result inside the bracket, which is why the brackets disappear, and the multiplying sign appears between the 2 and 3. We can't do anything with the 6 and 2 first because the brackets are still there to be removed and replaced with that multiply symbol.
So after the brackets are gone, we deal with multiplication next...
6 ÷ 2 x 3 ===> 6 ÷ 6
Multiplication literally comes first before division, which is how I resulted in ' 6 ÷ 6 ' instead of how some people work left to right. Which is why I came up with 1 instead of 9. My method of executing this particular order of operation is what was I was taught in school, and it's also what's used at tertiary level in Australia, so I'm not sure if it's a country to country difference, but I believe myself to be correct. But I won't count out the other answer yet because maths has changed a lot over the ages, and like other things, it's always updating.
What confuses me the most is that my graphics calculator deduced the original sum with the answer of 1, but when it was simplified as I did above without the brackets, it did come up with 9. I think it's the implied multiplication with the 2 and the sum within the brackets, that confuses the calculator, but that's just my opinion.
In all, I think both arguments are rational, but it's kinda like the chicken and the egg. We'll all eventually find out the answer whatever it is, and I'll follow whatever rules are in place then, even if it ends up that I've wasted my time with my wrong answer... lol
(I've not attempted to offend anyone, I'm open to everyone else's working out, so please don't attack me personally for my views)

The BEDMAS/BEMDAS/BIDMAS/BIMDAS/whatever variation of the same thing is misleading.
You should be doing multiplication and division at the same time from left to right.
This also is the case with addition and subtraction.

This is the stuff you learn in 6th grade. It isn't hard. Or confusing.

Can we lock this thread?
Please?

PE M/D A/S

Yeah let's lock a thread because you think the answer is simple nevermind that people are getting it wrong and it obviously needs explained.

I have to agree on that point, no reason to lock it, especially when more can be added by others. As much as I'm glad CrazyMLC agrees with my answer, I for one would like to see where everyone would get their sources, I'm still trying to dig through my old stuff. Oh and I can't remember who said it, but would like to know who has died from this to prompt the post... News story anyone?!

1

Aaand that is wrong.

Parenthesis
Exponents
Multiplication
Dividing
Adding
Subtraction

Just made it 10x easier.





Edit: I actually looked at the OP, and somehow I got 3.

It's 9.

6 / 2 (1+2)

PEMDAS: Parentheses, exponents, multiplication AND division done in order from left to right, addition AND subtraction done in order from left to right.

First step: Simplification of what's in parentheses.

6 / 2 (1+2)
6 / 2 (3)

Second step: Simplifications of numbers with exponents. No need to do that.

Third step: Multiplication and division done from left to right. Distribution is not a special mathematical operation. Distribution is just a form of multiplication. Hence:

6 / 2 (3)
3 (3)
9

Yes, we've seen that done plenty of times. But I was taught that distributions was an implied operation, which gives it higher priority. Blame teaching differences.

Well, it obviously needed to be reiterated/reexplained since there were people who didn't understand it.

This is correct.
If 9 is the correct answer, then why did I almost fail that chapter in middle school because I was using the same logic as people saying the answer's 9?
It's 1 because the M in PEMDAS is clearly before the D, that's why It's PEMDAS, and not PEDMAS.