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48÷2(9+3) =

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48÷2(9+3) =

  • ?

  • 288

  • 2

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PieIsAwesome said:
Order of operations says do everything in parenthesis, then left to right for things of equal precedence. At least its like this in C++.

But does it really matter? This is like an argument over semantics. In alternate-universe America it could be 2, according to their rules. Group operations together and no more confusion.
Click to expand...

it really throws a fork in everything we know... fuck.

the correct answer is 288 however.

unless we're all brainwashed.
 
NuclearNed said:
One of my 2 majors in college was math, so I consider myself a professional math guy.

I read the Wiki article on order of operations, then I read the references to the article. I think the following paragraph (from one of the references) summarizes the controversy:

http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/52582.html

[q]In summary, I would say that the rules actually fall into two
categories: the natural rules (such as precedence of exponential over
multiplicative over additive operations, and the meaning of
parentheses), and the artificial rules (left-to-right evaluation,
equal precedence for multiplication and division, and so on). The
former were present from the beginning of the notation, and probably
existed already, though in a somewhat different form, in the geometric
and verbal modes of expression that preceded algebraic symbolism. The
latter, not having any absolute reason for their acceptance, have had
to be gradually agreed upon through usage, and continue to evolve.[/q]

My interpretation of this paragraph is that the order of operations is still evolving. There are 2 schools of thought, one traditional and one that is more current. Neither is particularly more correct than the other until somehow one or the other is standardized. Until that day happens, I'll go with the "my dear Aunt Sally" method that I was taught in grade school...

...which makes the answer 2
Click to expand...

Not saying I agree with your answer or not but thanks for proving my point that it's more ambiguous than others here are making it out to be. Those with math degrees here don't all agree on one answer. Those who program mostly do agree.
 
repoman0 said:
why exactly is there any controversy? multiplication and division are the same operation. division by 2 is multiplication by 0.5, period. pemdas is only valid until you realize this, usually sometime in high school or college. then it turns into "pema", where division is multiplication by 1 over whatever you're dividing by and subtraction is addition by a negative number.
Click to expand...

The symbol used in a equation implies order of operations, even though the operation may be the same. Thus / and * are not in any way equal. Until you understand this, you will not be able to evaluate equations correctly.
 
48÷2(9+3) =

has an implied multiplication sign and an implied set of parenthesis thus:

48÷(2x(9+3)) = 2

288 is simply wrong.
 
I didn't know mathematics has "implied" conjectures... It's almost like, bend the rules whenever you don't know something... Good to know. Fuck brackets and all.
 
NuclearNed said:
The symbol used in a equation implies order of operations, even though the operation may be the same. Thus / and * are not in any way equal. Until you understand this, you will not be able to evaluate equations correctly.
Click to expand...

strange that i evaluate equations correctly quite often then using the fact that y/x = y*x^(-1).

if any of your electronics that use electromagnetic communication stop working sometime in the future, i guess you can blame me, it means that the above equation doesn't hold.
 
NuclearNed said:
The symbol used in a equation implies order of operations, even though the operation may be the same. Thus / and * are not in any way equal. Until you understand this, you will not be able to evaluate equations correctly.
Click to expand...

I suppose there may be cases in which the order of operations is defined in such a way that multiplication takes precedence over division, but this really does not make any sense under the usual definitions of division. In algebra, division is generally defined as a/b = a*b^(-1), where (b^(-1))*b=1.
 
repoman0 said:
strange that i evaluate equations correctly quite often then using the fact that y/x = y*x^(-1).

if any of your electronics that use electromagnetic communication stop working sometime in the future, i guess you can blame me, it means that the above equation doesn't hold.
Click to expand...

Cheesetogo said:
I suppose there may be cases in which the order of operations is defined in such a way that multiplication takes precedence over division, but this really does not make any sense mathematically. In (abstract) algebra, division is generally defined as a/b = a*b^-1, where (b^-1)*b=1.
Click to expand...

this.
 
SSSnail said:
I didn't know mathematics has "implied" conjectures... It's almost like, bend the rules whenever you don't know something... Good to know. Fuck brackets and all.
Click to expand...
Really? Then how did you know that 2(9+3) was to be evaluated as 2 x (9+3)?
 
as a bystander.. and someone WHO is not great at math, or claims to be..

i just wanna say, yeah, we need to figure this out! or nothing makes sense ever..

but maybe.. it does... maybe we were just thinking too small before?
 
RedRooster said:
headasplode.jpg
Click to expand...

2Py6t.jpg
 
Cheesetogo said:
I suppose there may be cases in which the order of operations is defined in such a way that multiplication takes precedence over division, but this really does not make any sense under the usual definitions of division. In algebra, division is generally defined as a/b = a*b^(-1), where (b^(-1))*b=1.
Click to expand...

It does make perfect sense mathematically in that if one standard or the other is used, all ambiguity in the equation in the OP is removed.
 
Good thing computers and things that requires precise calculations knows exactly which orders to calculate and carry out functions. Else we'd be in a world of hurt.

Can you imagine? "Hmm... don't know if that light should be green yet, if I switch this order of calculation around, it shouldn't be for another 36 seconds... hmm... what to do...which order did they imply when they wrote this?"
 
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