Police Department Helps Girl, 10, With Homework After She Messages Them On Facebook

MARION, OH (CBS) -- To protect and serve, and help with math homework?

Police in Marion, Ohio are being praised after a lieutenant attempted to help a little girl with her homework after she messaged them on Facebook.

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Her mother shared the exchange on her Facebook page.

Ten-year-old Lena asked, "I'm having trouble with my homework. Could you help me?"

Lt. B.J. Gruber responded, "What's up?"

She shared the math problem she was struggling with."Well I don't understand (8+29)x15."

"Do the numbers in the parenthesis first so in essence it would be 37 x 15," Gruber responded.

She then asked a follow up question: "Ok now if I had this (90+27) + (29+15) x 2. Which one would I do first? Because you have to do the parenthesis first."

Gruber explained, "Take the answer from the first parenthesis plus the answer from the second parenthesis and multiply that answer times two. Work left to right doing the work inside the parenthesis first."

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Lena's mother, Molly, shared the heartwarming post to Facebook and thanked the police department for 'truly building relationships with the community.'

Her post has now been shared over 2,600 times.

Marion, Ohio PD thanked everyone for the support, but admitted the homework advice may have actually been incorrect.

"Hoping it is truly the thought that counts since apparently I cannot! Especially since the answer was wrong, it was very nice for Molly to acknowledge our attempt to help her daughter with some math homework! We do aim to be a full service police department after all. Have to say this is the first time we have been asked by a young Facebook follower to help with homework through messenger but hey, we SERVE and protect. Maybe should have mentioned that History was my favorite subject before answering. Well, we know now! ????"