48÷2(9+3) =

48÷2(9+3)

  • 2

    Votes: 277 47.2%

  • 288

    Votes: 273 46.5%

  • ??

    Votes: 37 6.3%
  • Total voters
    587
Invictus- said:
People who don't understand math will read it that way yes. Merely because the structure of the problem isn't 100% clear does not make it incorrect.
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if there are no brackets written then there are no brackets written

its not like somehow assuming brackets being there is a valid option
 
I've asked about a dozen people. An odd trend has emerged... math nerds answer 2, programmers answer 288. Programming math nerds answer 288.
 
Hrm...

Free Math Help.com - Homework Help! • View topic - Order of Operations - Need Help! Huge Debate!

Are any threads on TW original? :(

#1 - Juxtaposition implying multiplication is a bad idea. Always use some sort of operator. It won't necessarily change anything, but it will help.

48 / 2 * (9+3)

#2 - Parentheses rule.

48 / 2 * 12

#3 - Multiplication and Division are the SAME precedence. Given confusion, convention says work left-to-right

(48/2) * 12 = 24 * 12

#4 - I just corrected a large issue in statistics. I saw books and popwer points and hand-writen papers, ALL stating 1/n, 1/2n, 1/3n, etc. where they MEANT 1/(n), 1/(2n), 1/(3n), etc. Even authors and editors can get it wrong. However, given sufficient contextual clues, it can be decoded.

#5 - Be very careful un what environment you are work. My primary programming language decodes right-to left. This would give, besides the syntax error for no operator...

48 / 2 * (9+3) = 48 / 2 * 12 = 48 / 24 = 2

In order to get it NOT to do that, add parentheses

(48 / 2)*(9+3)

So, you see, everyone can be right.
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opsayo said:
if there are no brackets written then there are no brackets written

its not like somehow assuming brackets being there is a valid option
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i'm confused as to why people are assuming there are things in the equation that aren't there. the equation seems pretty straight forward.
 
in "simple" order of operations, what gets priority... distributive property or multiplication/division?
 
I don't care enough to look up wolfram alpha. However, using basic math rules (PEMDAS as has been stated numerous times in this thread), a/b(c+d) translates to a / b * (c+d). Which is equal to [a(c+d)]/b.
 
friend of mine who works at NASA said the following, which made me LOL:

I am astonished that so many people are getting this completely wrong. The answer is 288. It's really not that difficult--simple order of operations. Parenthetical expressions are evaluated first, then you evaluate exponents, then multiplication/division from left to right, then addition/substraction from left to right.

48÷2×(9+3)
48÷2×(12)
24×12
288

To get an answer of 2, you have to put an extra set of parentheses around (2×(9+3)). I can't believe this is even up for debate. That's the answer, end of story. Any other answer is the result of a perversion of the order of operations. It doesn't take a rocket scientist, but there's an answer from one none the less.
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Also Bughead,
Before calculators, back in the paleolithic days when people wore untanned hides, ate their food raw, and communicated by drums and bullroarers, people would have just said that the expression is sloppy presentation. Back then, you avoided ambiguity by using parentheses and, if necessary, nesting parentheses. There is no theoretical basis for the sequence of operations; left-to-right is used by many systems of writing natural languages, but the universe does not require it. Sequence of operations is a convention for permitting communication. When calculators were first introduced (in the neolithic about the same time as dogs were domesticated), some used Polish notation and some used reverse Polish notation.
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I hate the division symbol because it confuses kids. Express everything as a fraction, and they'll never have trouble. I believe that the ÷ sign is a vestigial structure from years past, and is going to go the way of elementary children learning how to write in cursive. At one time, they were useful skills but now are pretty much useless and a waste of class time.
 
DAMN FEATHER INDIANS DONE RODE INTO OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM AND RAN OFF WITH OUR DIVISION SYMBOL

LET'S GIT'EM, BOYS, YEE HAW
 
Xapz said:
in "simple" order of operations, what gets priority... distributive property or multiplication/division?
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The distributive property you're referring to is not an operation, so it doesn't receive a priority relative to other operators.
 
Rampancy said:
Technically ya

But due to the way typing shorthand works 48/2(9+3) will usually mean 48/[2(9+3)], because most people aren't obnoxious pricks for the sake of being obnoxious pricks
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you can't just add brackets for the sake of saying "this is how it should be" and then solve it the way you want to. The problem is presented in one way, you have to solve it the way it was presented. This isn't a debate. Its fucking math. Over half of TW are retarded .
 
The person who wrote the equation is the one who is wrong...why include some operations but not all? If this crept up on me in the wild, I'd ask them to clarify since I'd assume they made a mistake.
 
i am surprised at the rocket scientist's lack of concern about order of operations being arbitrary. no wonder the challenger blew up
 
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