What will come in the place of ‘?’ in the following equation if ‘+’ and ‘−’…

Concept

When mathematical operation symbols are interchanged, first replace every affected symbol in the expression with its paired symbol.

Then evaluate the transformed expression using the standard order of operations: multiplication and division before addition and subtraction, proceeding left to right within the same priority.

Application

Applying the stated interchanges changes the expression as follows:

1. Replace ÷ with ×, + with −, × with ÷, and − with +: 14 × 6 − 9 ÷ 3 + 2.

2. Evaluate multiplication and division first: 14 × 6 = 84 and 9 ÷ 3 = 3.

3. Substitute these values: 84 − 3 + 2.

4. Evaluate from left to right: 84 − 3 = 81, and 81 + 2 = 83.

Cross-check

Regrouping the additive terms gives 84 + 2 − 3 = 83, which confirms the same result.

Every occurrence of an interchanged symbol must be replaced: retaining the final − instead of replacing it with + would give 84 − 3 − 2 = 79.

Therefore, the value that replaces ‘?’ is 83.