When dealing with multiplication and division, you go from left to right.
The last math teacher I had refused to teach us American math, but rather the math he grew up learning in Europe.
I'm only approaching the equation the way I was taught.
Illidan, I can see how you got that, but its called divide, not simplify. :o
Then in that case, being / means to divide, it would be 48 divided by 2(9+3) which would still equal 2.