In the coded arithmetic expression, "S" denotes "multiplied by", "V" denotes "subtracted from", "M" denotes "added to" and "L" denotes "divided by". What is the value of 7 V 42 M 56 L 8 S 5?

Introduction / Context:
This question continues the pattern of using letters to represent arithmetic operations. With the given meanings of S, V, M and L, you must decode the expression 7 V 42 M 56 L 8 S 5 and then simplify it. It tests translation skill and correct application of division and multiplication before addition and subtraction.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• "S" denotes "multiplied by".
• "V" denotes "subtracted from".
• "M" denotes "added to".
• "L" denotes "divided by".
• Expression: 7 V 42 M 56 L 8 S 5.
• We treat V as a subtraction operator between terms for evaluation purposes.

Concept / Approach:
First convert the coded expression into a standard arithmetic expression. Then apply arithmetic precedence: handle division and multiplication first, followed by addition and subtraction from left to right. As in many reasoning questions, the phrase "subtracted from" is interpreted as a simple minus sign between adjacent terms within the overall expression.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Decode each letter: L → ÷, S → *, V → -, M → +.Step 2: The expression 7 V 42 M 56 L 8 S 5 becomes 7 - 42 + 56 ÷ 8 * 5.Step 3: Evaluate division and multiplication first: 56 ÷ 8 = 7, then 7 * 5 = 35.Step 4: Substitute back: 7 - 42 + 35.Step 5: Simplify from left to right: 7 - 42 = -35.Step 6: Finally, -35 + 35 = 0.

Verification / Alternative check:
The intermediate computations are straightforward. Re evaluating 56 ÷ 8 = 7 and 7 * 5 = 35 leaves little room for error. Re performing the subtraction and addition confirms the final result 0. Because the calculation is simple, the most likely source of mistakes would be mis decoding a symbol, not the arithmetic itself.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• 8, 12, 16 and 20 would result only if either division or multiplication were mis handled or if the order of operations was ignored.
• They do not match the correctly decoded and evaluated expression.

Common Pitfalls:
One frequent mistake is interpreting "subtracted from" as reversing the order of subtraction in complex expressions. Another is forgetting to do division and multiplication before addition and subtraction. Clearly decoding each operator and writing the standard expression is the safest way to avoid these issues.

Final Answer:
After decoding and simplifying, 7 V 42 M 56 L 8 S 5 evaluates to 0.