How in the hell can 48/2(9+3) equal 288?

Order of operations: Parentheses, exponents, multiplication, division, addition, subtraction.

Parentheses: (9+3) = (12)

No exponents

Multiplication: 2(12) = 24

Division: 48/24= 2.

If the answer to the problem is indeed 288, then the problem is presented wrong; it can only equal 288 if it's written as:

(48/2)(9+3)

To get 288 with the problem as it was presented requires going against PEMDAS.