What does 20 divided by 4 minus 5 plus 12 equal? I'm trying to understand the order of operation. I think the answer might be -12. Is this correct?

This problem needs parentheses in order to solve it.

It is 12

To solve this equation, we need to follow the order of operations, also known as PEMDAS (Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division from left to right, Addition and Subtraction from left to right).

Let's break down the equation step by step:

First, perform the division operation: 20 divided by 4 equals 5.

So now the equation becomes: 5 minus 5 plus 12.

Next, perform the subtraction operation: 5 minus 5 equals 0.

Now we have the equation: 0 plus 12.

Lastly, perform the addition operation: 0 plus 12 equals 12.

Therefore, the correct answer is 12. The equation does not equal -12.