Math Problem taking the Internet by storm

[Dakota rube]

I've just realized that I have been selling weed for waaaaaaaay too little for a long time.

 

[deandbn]

The answer has got to be 2 because the result of the 9+3 that is 12 is still in brackets or parentheses and so has to be resolved first, before the division is done. IMHO

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

 

[Lel]

Originally Posted by deandbn

The answer has got to be 2 because the result of the 9+3 that is 12 is still in brackets or parentheses and so has to be resolved first, before the division is done. IMHO 48/2(9+3) 48/2(12) 48/24 2
Lol what? I thought Parentheses only referred to the issue inside the brackets, not next to it, so in the case of PEMDAS multiplication and division are equal going from left to right. I was taught that y(x) just refers multiplication in PEMDAS, not parentheses, and can be simply rewritten as y*x. 48÷2*(9+3) The parentheses only serves to tell you that 9+3 should be multiplied first, not that their products should be multiplied by 2 (otherwise you are doing division/multiplication from right to left). I understand that it's poorly written, but I don't understand why people think just because a number is next to a parentheses that it's multiplication is given a higher priority than everything that comes before it. 48÷2(9+3) =/= 48÷(2(9+3)). It doesn't seem that complicated. Or am I missing something? For those whose saying it's poorly written, it's not, it's perfectly clear.

The only thing I can think is that there's kind of a knee jerk reaction to multiply out parentheses first due to simplifying algebraic equations. Google seems to agree

 

[Kajak]

Originally Posted by Lel

y(x) just refers multiplication in PEMDAS, not parentheses, and can be simply rewritten as y*x.

+1 if i had to answer. Mind you, its called BEDMAS.

 

[Majerle]

Please excuse my dear aunt sally, but she says its 288.

 

[Lel]

Originally Posted by deandbn

The answer has got to be 2 because the result of the 9+3 that is 12 is still in brackets or parentheses and so has to be resolved first, before the division is done. IMHO 48/2(9+3) 48/2(12) 48/24 2
Actually, forget my last post, here's a much simpler explanation. 1÷2(12) = 1÷24

 

[Kajak]

Originally Posted by Lel

Actually, forget my last post, here's a much simpler explanation.

1/2(12) = 1/24

Unless the 1/2 is distributed within the brackets.

People who think the answer is 2 think an airplane on a treadmill can't take off.

 

[Dakota rube]

Originally Posted by Kajak

People who think the answer is 2 think an airplane on a treadmill can't take off.

Are you a Jamie fan? Or more of an Adam guy?

 

[asdf]

there is no ambiguity.

you do the parentheses first; i don't think anyone disagrees. now you are left with a string of multiplication/division operators which are treated equally under BEDMAS and calculated, in order, left-right.
...gives you 288.

to reiterate: no ambiguity.

 

[joelmthw]

288 fo sho http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i...B72%289%2B3%29

 

[Kajak]

Originally Posted by Dakota rube

Are you a Jamie fan? Or more of an Adam guy?

So hard to pick

 

[Hop]

This math problem is spawning 100 page debates on every forum Ive been to...

 

[rjmaiorano]

Everyone posting an answer or response is an ignorant ****. (my poast included)*(9+3)/12=

 

[tagutcow]

Originally Posted by Hop

This math problem is spawning 100 page debates on every forum Ive been to...

I haven't seen brother turn against brother this viciously since the "great taste / less filling" debates of the '80s.

 

[*#..]

How I see this problem is you can redistribute the 2 back into the parentheses. Hence, you'll get: 48÷2(9+3) 48÷(18+6) 48÷(24) 2 There's this property called the "distributive property" that a lot of those people on the physics forum forgot which is just

Remember back in algebra, you could factor out a 2 in an equation like: (2x+2) 2(x+1) Same concept, you just have a number (18) instead of a variable (x). The way it's written is not sloppy at all - most people have just forgotten the basic properties of elementary algebra. Why someone would factor out a 2 from (18+6) is beyond me, but you can do it.