Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill Verburg
This type of question has been commonly showing up on HS Introductory algebra tests for decades
the # and * are abstract operations which are defined in the statement of the problem, other symbols, &,%,? etc. are commonly used as well, * is not multiplication this is mistake one.
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If by mistake you mean mistake in the presentation of the problem, I agree.
If commonly accepted symbols for operations are arbitrarily redefined, the
all of the commonly accepted symbols for operations are open to redefinition. Under these circumstances, why assume ( x+xx ) means three numbers and an addition operation are inside brackets? Why assume there is a
set of brackets at all? The left bracket could have one meaning the +could have another meaning, and the end bracket could have yet another meaning. I understand this as an exercise in logic and deduction, but mixing redefined common symbols for operators with arbitrary meanings for operators is just chaos.