48÷2(9+3) = ????

[Z-man]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Those are the same problem.

No, they are not.

And I have a difficult time understanding how phd's and 'math wizzes' are saying there are two answers to the same equation! Ok - that may be the case in some abstract math (square root of -1 and i) but this is far from advanced math!

The answer depends on how one interprets the equation, and if one properly applies the order of operations (specifically the go from LEFT to RIGHT rule), then the answer is clear...

-Z-man.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by NotaBRG

You changed the problem from 48÷2(9+3) = ?? to 48÷(2(9+3)) = ??

Sheesh.

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Those are the same problem.

No

48÷2(9+3) is the same as (48÷2)(9+3). Both give you 288

48÷(2(9+3)) gives the answer 2 which means it's absolutely not the same as the previous two options.

[rick-l]

Can I change my vote?

If you follow the rules
48÷2(9+3) =
48÷2*12 =
24*12 =
288

[VINMAN]

About tree fiddy......

[jyl]

I voted 288

If you know very little math, your answer is uncertain since you don't know the order of operations rules.

If you know more math, your answer is uncertain since no math past high school or maybe middle school is written in this way, so you may have forgotten the order of operations rules.

If your math knowledge is "just right", like Goldilocks, the answer is 288. I think 4th or 5th grade is about right.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Z-man

And I have a difficult time understanding how phd's and 'math wizzes' are saying there are two answers to the same equation! Ok - that may be the case in some abstract math (square root of -1 and i) but this is far from advanced math!

The answer depends on how one interprets the equation, and if one properly applies the order of operations, then the answer is clear...

-Z-man.

One SHOULD interpret the equation in the conventional way. The convention used in EVERY math course, EVERY physics course, and EVERY engineering course I (or anyone else) has ever taken is that you do the implied multiplication or division on a parenthetical term immediately after you perform the work inside the parenthesis.
To an engineer the intent of the calculation 48/2*9+3 is ambiguous. The intent of 48/2(9+3) is clear as a bell. Everything to the left of the division sign is in the numerator, everything to the right is in the denominator.

[krichard]

I voted 2 but it is 288. Visualizing it 48 ÷ 2 x (9+3) makes more sense to me. For those still doubting just enter it as a formula in Excel......

[rick-l]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

The convention used in EVERY math course, EVERY physics course, and EVERY engineering course I (or anyone else) has ever taken is.

Most equations in science represent something else so the meaning and order is obvious.

[svandamme]

w000t, i got it right.

[DARISC]

Originally Posted by Z-man

-Z-man...I hate it when trolls use math for their own devices! Math is serious business!!!

Yes, it certainly is!!

And now, thanks to the OP, we have another dead kitten.

Originally Posted by NotaBRG

This should be a public poll. I'd like to see who the 60% incorrect answers belong to.

TROLL!!

[krystar]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

.
To an engineer the intent of the calculation 48/2*9+3 is ambiguous.

no it isn't....48/2*9+3 = 111

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by krystar

no it isn't....48/2*9+3 = 111

lol!

[Z-man]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

One SHOULD interpret the equation in the conventional way. The convention used in EVERY math course, EVERY physics course, and EVERY engineering course I (or anyone else) has ever taken is that you do the implied multiplication or division on a parenthetical term immediately after you perform the work inside the parenthesis.
To an engineer the intent of the calculation 48/2*9+3 is ambiguous. The intent of 48/2(9+3) is clear as a bell. Everything to the left of the division sign is in the numerator, everything to the right is in the denominator.

Your logic is based on intent, while my logic is based on the rules set forth in the mathematical order of operations.

So you are saying that the multiplication sign between the 2 and (9+3) takes precidence over the division sign between the 48 and 2. But that violates the order of operations (left to right rule)

Thus, I see it as "48 2nds" takes precidence over the 2(9+3).

If the equation were: 24(9+3) then the answer is clearly 288.

48/2 is another way of representing 24. Thus, I see the equation as:

48
--- (9+3)
2

-Z-man.

[DARISC]

Originally Posted by Z-man

...specifically the do multiplicdation/division...

Which, sadly, points once again to "the dumbing down of America".

It's sad to see how many can't multiplicdate.

[kach22i]

One of those strange written extra credit questions; as it is poorly written equation.

Answers written in similar format will be graded down - so says the teacher of do what I say, not what I do.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by DARISC

multiplicdate.

It already shows up in a Google search......................you just made up a new word for all of history.

[fred cook]

Operation in parentheses is done first, then in order comes

multiplication
division
addition
subtraction

The answer is 2.

[romad]

2(9+3) is one term. the parenthesis do not drop off after you work 9+3

so 48/2(9+3)
48/2(12)
48/24
2

[s_wilwerding]

Originally Posted by Mo_Gearhead

Three men walk into a hotel and ask for a room for the night.
The clerks says: "Rooms are $10 per night - per occupant." They each give him $10.

Later, his boss (looking at the days receipts) tells him, "You forgot our Tuesday Special Rate. Those men's room should have only been twenty five dollars." He hands the clerk a five dollar bill and says, "Take them this."

The simple-minded cleck, as he's walking to their room, ponders the delima of dividing five dollars between three men? To simplify his problem, he puts the Five in his pocket and takes out three ones. At the room he gives each man a dollar.

Three times nine = $27
The clerk kept $2
Total = $29

What happened to the other dollar?

There's no missing dollar - you're adding two different sides of the balance sheet. On one side is what the three men paid, which is $10-$1 a piece, which is $27 total. Then, there is what the is in the register, which is $30-$5, plus the $2 that the clerk keeps, which equals $27, which is what the men spent. The final amount doesn't have to equal $30.

Or, if you look at it using the "actual" dollars, $25 of the actual dollars are in the register, $2 are in the clerk's pocket, and $3 are in the men's hands ($1 for each).

[Targa Me]

I'm gettin' 288.

Multiplication and division are on the same level of precedence and in fact division is simply regarded as multiplication of a reciprocal. So the part in parenthesis is done independently of anything else, but you must just follow left to right for the division and multiplication. Therefore, you start with 48/2 and then multiply by 12 which yields 288.



BTW – Excel follows order of precedence very well and yields the same result.