Maths Question

[ICantBelieveItGoesBoom]

I've seen some disagreement about this equation.

48/2(9+3)=?

What do you guys think it is?

EDIT: I was always told that you do multiplication before division so I get 2. Also, sorry if this is a repeat thread, I haven't been on in a while.

 

[Thunderios]

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

You can't multiply (9+3) with 2 BEFORE you divide, because the slash is before the (invisible) multiply sign.

 

[googleit6]

BEDMAS: Brackets, exponents, division, multiplication, addition, subtraction.

Brackets first makes it 48/2(12)

Next, division. 48/2 = 24

24(12)= 288

That's just my two cents though. I'm sure I made a mistake in there somewhere.

 

[Tulks]

Wasn't there a thread about this last week? It's 288.

 

[Outright Villainy]

Wasn't the whole question about the divsion sign? / would imply everything past that is below the line, so to speak.

In this case, I'll say the answer is 2.

 

[Lukeje]

Depends on the order of priority you assign for operators on your number field. And this does seem to be a repeat thread (though the other thread had a poll).

 

[bam13302]

48/2(9+3)=288
the only way it would be anything else is if it was like this
48/(2(9+3))=2

 

[NeedAUserName]

I'd say 288. You calculate the brackets, (9+3) = 12. Then divide 48 by 2 = 24. Then 12x24, which equals 288.

 

[Lizardon]

The way it has been written it is too ambiguous
It can be interpreted as (48/2)*(9+3)=288 or 48/(2*(9+3))=2

 

[bob1052]

The way it has been written it is too ambiguous
It can be interpreted as (48/2)*(9+3)=288 or 48/(2*(9+3))=2

No actually

48/2(9+3) is fine.

You do brackets first which turns it into

48/2(12)

Brackets next to a term is implied multiplication which makes it

48/2*12

Division and multiplication have equal priority so you go left to right

48/2*12 = 24*12 = 288

Just because you can add your own brackets to break the equation into different answers doesn't make the original equation "ambiguous".

Thats like saying that if I take a transcript of a speech from a clan leader and inject lines about racial equality that weren't really said that the goal of the KKK becomes ambiguous.

 

[Brandon237]

It is dodgy with the annoying way the divide sign works
Because it can mean 48 / (2 x (9 + 3) or it can mean (48 / 2)(9 + 3).
The first makes more sense with the slash (/) so according to how you have it written, I would say 2.

My casio fx-82ES PLUS, which does order of operations, says that with the proper divide sign, you get 2. The professional calculator, made to perform order of operations as set by mathematicians themselves, says the answer is 2.

Settled.

 

[Brandon237]

Wasn't there a thread about this last week? It's 288.

No, it is not
I have checked, with my calculator, which does order of operations. It is 2. And I used the proper divide sign. With the slash it will be 42 over 2 x (9 + 3) which is definitely 2. So either way, it is 2.

EDIT: Oops, double post

 

[Bearjing]

Wasn't the whole question about the divsion sign? / would imply everything past that is below the line, so to speak.

In this case, I'll say the answer is 2.

No it doesn't, or else that would make writing out very long equations even more complicated.

Look at it like this if the other way confuses you.

48*.5*(9+3)

 

[The Unworthy Gentleman]

Well it all depends on your interpretation of the division symbol:

If / means over then it's 2
If / means the traditional divide symbol then it's 288

There is no real answer because it's been written in a purposefully retarded way with no clarification.

 

[somonels]

If that's what I owe you, it's 2, if it's what you owe me, it's 288.
W3 tried to do something that would make HTML 3.0 able to display mathematical formulas, the emphasis here is on the 'try.' Right now we have either images, apps or messy code.

edit: woah, woah! It does not matter whether the '/' is division or 'over,' both mean the same thing: brackets are always opened before any division/multiplication.

 

[TeveshSzat]

Be a smartass and put the following down on your paper:
a = b
a^2 = a*b
a^2 - b^2 = a*b - b^2
(a-b)(a+b) = b(a-b)
a+b = b
b+b = b
2b = b
thus 2 = 1

Then:
48/2(9+3)
48/1(9+3)
(24*2)/1(9+3)
(3*2*2*2*2)/1(2+2+2+2+1+2+1)
((2+1)*1*1*1*1)/1(1+1+1+1+1+1+1)
(1+1)/1(2+2+2+1)
2/1(1+1+1+1)
1/1(2+2)
1/1(1+1)
1/1(2)
1/1(1)

Thus:
48/2(9+3) = 1


Now while this is of course a mathematical fallacy, if your teacher has a decent sense of humor they might over look it.

Like mine did.
On a midterm.
Giving me a 100% for the midterm even though I did this for every. single. problem.
Though he did put a note on there saying for me to never do that again.

 

[Ulvai]

Depends on what compiler you are using (coder's joke).

 

[BiscuitTrouser]

It is dodgy with the annoying way the divide sign works
Because it can mean 48 / (2 x (9 + 3) or it can mean (48 / 2)(9 + 3).
The first makes more sense with the slash (/) so according to how you have it written, I would say 2.

My casio fx-82ES PLUS, which does order of operations, says that with the proper divide sign, you get 2. The professional calculator, made to perform order of operations as set by mathematicians themselves, says the answer is 2.

Settled.

Not really, the MS calculator, my normal calc AND my graphing calc ALL say 288...

 

[Woodsey]

Its 288.

Do it in order of BODMAS.

Brackets Order Division Multiplication Addition Subtraction.

 

[Xelt]

Wasn't there a thread about this last week? It's 288.

No, it is not
I have checked, with my calculator, which does order of operations. It is 2. And I used the proper divide sign. With the slash it will be 42 over 2 x (9 + 3) which is definitely 2. So either way, it is 2.

EDIT: Oops, double post

Google calculator says 288.