Final answer:
To simplify the expression, first calculate the exponent (2^4), then perform the multiplication and division (8 x 2 ÷ 4), and finally subtract the final values (16 - 4). The result is 12.
Step-by-step explanation:
To apply the order of operations to simplify the expression 24 − 8 × 2 ÷ 4, we must follow the acronym PEMDAS, which stands for Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division (from left to right), and Addition and Subtraction (from left to right).
First, compute the exponent: 24 = 16. Next, perform the multiplication and division from left to right: 8 × 2 = 16 and then 16 ÷ 4 = 4. Finally, subtract the result of the multiplication and division from the result of the exponentiation: 16 − 4 = 12.
So, the simplified expression is 12, which matches answer choice (b).