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Solve this simple math problem: 48/2(9+3)

288 or 2 ?

  • 288

    Votes: 154 48.4%

  • 2

    Votes: 164 51.6%
  • Total voters
    318
Status
Not open for further replies.
iJohnHenry said:
Yes, if you assume the (9+3) is a power.

No, if you assume there is a fantom multiplier between the 2 and the (9+3).

It's a loaded question, due to incomplete specifications, yet again.

Takes me back to my User days. Kill them all!!! :mad:
Click to expand...

It's cut and dry simple math that you are over thinking. Why would you assume (9+3) is a power? 9+3=12 simple as that.
 
The two polls in reference are showing 2 as the right answer.

Mac OS X cannot be wrong.

Google is showing you a result that will drive more traffic for their Ads.

A 68020 will always kill a 68000 anywhere doing math calculations.
 
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Definitely 288.


And no, it doesn't depend on how you read it. Actually, I suppose that's not true. Anyone who looked at the equation and figured out it was 288 was right, and everyone else who sees it otherwise was wrong. :p
 
iJohnHenry said:
Because there is no operand between the 2 and the (9+3).

And I agree, this is the most nonsensical thread in some time.

God bless diversions. :D
Click to expand...

lol but still, order of operations tells you that the parentheses is done first. Wanna bet how many pages this gets up to until it dies? lol
 
wordoflife said:
I did parenthesis, then multiplication or division from left to right. That's how I was taught it.

I'm pretty sure doing PEMDAS left to right is the proper way to do it

48/2(9+3)
48/2(12)
24(12)
288
Click to expand...

PEMDAS... First time ever that I hear of it.
I did no go to school in the US.

So.. if the priorities are Parenthesis, then Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition and lastly Substraction, using your rule:

48/2(9+3)
First whatever is inside the Parenthesis: 9+3=12

48/2(12)

Then Exponent: none

Then Multiplication: 2(12) = 24
Then Division: 48/24 = 2

There you go...PEMDAS fans.
 
McGiord said:
PEMDAS... First time ever that I hear of it.
I did no go to school in the US.

So.. if the priorities are Parenthesis, then Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition and lastly Substraction, using your rule:

48/2(9+3)
First whatever is inside the Parenthesis: 9+3=12

48/2(12)

Then Exponent: none

Then Multiplication: 2(12) = 24
Then Division: 48/24 = 2

There you go...PEMDAS fans.
Click to expand...

No. That's not how it works. Once you get to multiplication/division, you go left to right. It's 288. And for those of you who get 2 by using calculators, any math teacher will tell you that calculators always get the rules of operations wrong. That's why we teach kids pemdas so they know what math to do first and they can use the calculators to help them do the parts of the equation they need help with.

iJohnHenry said:
Which orifice did you pull the "*" from??? :p
Click to expand...

Not sure if u are joking but I'll answer you. Multiplication is implied when equations are written like this. Those who say an exponent is implied when written like this are simply wrong.
 
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The answer is 2, not 288 (it can't be that)

Following PEMDAS (Parenthesis, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction):

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

2 is the final answer.
 
iJohnHenry said:
Which orifice did you pull the "*" from??? :p
Click to expand...

celticpride678 said:
The answer is 2, not 288 (it can't be that)

Following PEMDAS (Parenthesis, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction):

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

2 is the final answer.
Click to expand...

As I stated above, you are missing an Important rule of pemdas. When you get to multiplication/division or addition/subtraction, you go left to right. So: 48/2 is 24. And 24 *12 is 288. If u don't believe me, just google pemdas and u get the rules:

http://www.mathsisfun.com/operation-order-pemdas.html
 
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celticpride678 said:
Following PEMDAS (Parenthesis, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction):
Click to expand...

But you have to also follow it from left to right.

Suppose subtraction precedes addition, like this: 4-5+6, then the answer would be 5 not -7.

Similarly, in this case, division is first so you have to divide first.

This is how I would solve the equation:

48/2(9+3)

= 48/2*12
= 24 * 12
= 288.

:)
 
Kind of a stupid way to write it. That's why most people add unnecessary parentheses when writing equations on a computer in ascii.

My answer would be 288.

My official answer : slap in your face.

I don't see how people end up with 2? What ever PEMDAS is (french-Canadian here). A division is just the inverse of a multiplication, how could one have precedence over the other (same for addition and subtraction)? 48(1/2)(9+3) gives the same answer. It sounds like a lot of people don't really understand what they are doing but rather following a magic spell.

The confusion really is what is being divided is it 2 or 24. Even if you follow pemdas you should end up with :

48/2(9+3)
=48/2(12)
=24(12)=288.

:confused:
 
Mac'nCheese: I think that in elementary school you first learn to multiply and then to divide. So first you multiply and then you divide.

That left to right rule is not following the order of the letters.
So for this case it is not PEMDAS but PEDMAS...

The Arabs give us the numbers that we use nowadays, and they do write from right to left.

So your math teacher is telling us that Mac OS X is giving us a wrong answer...You might need to watch waiting for Superman.
 
We use/say bedmas in Canada.

Brackets, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction
 
McGiord said:
Mac'nCheese: I think that in elementary school you first learn to multiply and then to divide. So first you multiply and then you divide.

That left to right rule is not following the order of the letters.
So for this case it is not PEMDAS but PEDMAS...

The Arabs give us the numbers that we use nowadays, and they do write from right to left.

So your math teacher is telling us that Mac OS X is giving us a wrong answer...You might need to watch waiting for Superman.
Click to expand...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PEMDAS#Mnemonics

Why I think lots of people don't understand math and get frustrated at science/engineering and math is because they learn tricks instead of actually understanding what they are doing. (Not saying this is your case McGiord)
 
McGiord said:
Mac'nCheese: I think that in elementary school you first learn to multiply and then to divide. So first you multiply and then you divide.

That left to right rule is not following the order of the letters.
So for this case it is not PEMDAS but PEDMAS...

The Arabs give us the numbers that we use nowadays, and they do write from right to left.

So your math teacher is telling us that Mac OS X is giving us a wrong answer...You might need to watch waiting for Superman.
Click to expand...

Sorry but you are wrong. That's exactly what they teach us. You do not first multiply and then divide. I already pointed out why calculators do pemdas wrong, u can google it or look at the link below. Funny line about superman but your wit does not make you correct. A simple google search on how to do math will teach you the correct way.

http://www.solving-math-problems.com/dumb-calculator.html
 
Watabou said:
Suppose subtraction precedes addition, like this: 4-5+6, then the answer would be 5 not -7.
Click to expand...
WTF?
One thing is the rules and mnemonic things invented in some school system, and other is how to properly use your brain to do some math.

Algebraically speaking the expression that you used as a reference will always result in 5.

Mac OS X cannot be wrong on this:
 

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