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Math Problem taking the Internet by storm

post #1 of 116
4/10/11 at 11:05am
Thread Starter 
48÷2(9+3) = 2 or 288
http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/48%C3%B7293
http://niketalk.yuku.com/topic/294672/48-2-9-3?page=1
http://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=488334
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post #2 of 116
4/10/11 at 11:14am
It can be confusing because the notation is bad. What's your point?
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post #3 of 116
4/10/11 at 11:37am
This is not a math problem. This a sequence of signs that can be interpreted in two ways depending on convention agreed upon.
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post #4 of 116
4/10/11 at 12:00pm
2..
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post #5 of 116
4/10/11 at 12:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by iand View Post
This is not a math problem. This a sequence of signs that can be interpreted in two ways depending on convention agreed upon.

Interesting perspective. Your argument holds true for any field that can be linguistically expressed, though - there is common agreement on the order of operations, just like there is common agreement on what a lumen is or what constitutes benzene. Disagreement implies ignorance of the field, in this case math.
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post #6 of 116
4/10/11 at 1:46pm
Agreed conventions on not just operator precedence, but also associativity.
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post #7 of 116
4/10/11 at 1:55pm
Fucking Magnets, How Do They Work?

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post #8 of 116
4/10/11 at 6:53pm
I always thought using PEMDAS was the only way to solve problems like these. If you use it on this, you end up with 2 as your answer. Or is it something else...?
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post #9 of 116
4/10/11 at 8:02pm
Notation is sloppy, but as given the answer is 288. PEMDAS says the brackets would be resolved first, than multiplication and division would be resolved from left to right. 48÷2(9+3) 48÷2(12) 24(12) 288 Answer would be 2 if it was written 48÷(2(9+3)). Could also argue that the answer would be 2 if it was given as 48/2(9+3) as this suggests that 2(9+3) is the denominator.
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post #10 of 116
4/10/11 at 8:05pm
pemdas http://www.purplemath.com/modules/orderops.htm 48÷2(9+3) = 2 or 288 1) this needs to be read: 48 / 2(9+3) - why? 2(9+3) is a single denominator value. 2) 48 / 24 --> 2
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post #11 of 116
4/10/11 at 8:05pm
Granted, I have not taken a math class since before the invention of the electronic calculator, but I'd solve the problem to 2.
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post #12 of 116
4/10/11 at 8:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by RedScarf7 View Post
Notation is sloppy, but as given the answer is 288. PEMDAS says the brackets would be resolved first, than multiplication and division would be resolved from left to right.

48÷2(9+3)
48÷2(12)
24(12)
288

Answer would be 2 if it was written 48÷(2(9+3)). Could also argue that the answer would be 2 if it was given as 48/2(9+3) as this suggests that 2(9+3) is the denominator.

I back this.
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post #13 of 116
4/10/11 at 8:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by RedScarf7 View Post
Notation is sloppy, but as given the answer is 288. PEMDAS says the brackets would be resolved first, than multiplication and division would be resolved from left to right.

48÷2(9+3)
48÷2(12)
24(12)
288

Answer would be 2 if it was written 48÷(2(9+3)). Could also argue that the answer would be 2 if it was given as 48/2(9+3) as this suggests that 2(9+3) is the denominator.

This is how I solved it, and I agree with your comments on notation.
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post #14 of 116
4/10/11 at 8:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by yjeezle View Post
pemdas http://www.purplemath.com/modules/orderops.htm 48÷2(9+3) = 2 or 288 1) this needs to be read: 48 / 2(9+3) - why? 2(9+3) is a single denominator value. 2) 48 / 24 --> 2
If it was (2(2+3)) as the guy showed earlier the final answer would be two. The answer as written is 288, it's not rocket science.
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post #15 of 116
4/10/11 at 9:19pm
answer is 2
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