6/2*(1+2)=?

TheBig3 · 05-01-2011, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuna

I don't think that's what EvilChuck is looking for, regardless of if it's being challenged. I think he just wanted the answer that's taught in school and practiced in practical life.

And it seems pretty established to me, that's why Google calculator knew what I meant even when I didn't add the parentheses. Just because people are doing the problem incorrectly doesn't mean we should accept that as an alternative answer.

I was willing to overlook that fact that you dodged a question you didn't know the answer to, despite it saying a lot about your intellectual character.

But if you're going to charge around as the pied ****ing piper of the math elite, lets let it stand here. So long as the order of operations doesn't directly show what people should do - its flawed.

You'll note at no point did Oojay do math incorrectly. And the latitude for it to be correct. What you're doing right now is claiming you're the smartest man in the room because the most people think so. If we were to believe that, we'd have to start believing that the MB Awards hold water, or that this thread will determine a posting pecking-order.

Most of us came to this thread to have a discussion and further our understanding. Not to pull our mathematical-****s out and compare sizes.

midnight rain · 05-01-2011, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBig3

I was willing to overlook that fact that you dodged a question you didn't know the answer to, despite it saying a lot about your intellectual character.

But if you're going to charge around as the pied ****ing piper of the math elite, lets let it stand here. So long as the order of operations doesn't directly show what people should do - its flawed.

You'll note at no point did Oojay do math incorrectly. And the latitude for it to be correct. What you're doing right now is claiming you're the smartest man in the room because the most people think so. If we were to believe that, we'd have to start believing that the MB Awards hold water, or that this thread will determine a posting pecking-order.

Most of us came to this thread to have a discussion and further our understanding. Not to pull our mathematical-****s out and compare sizes.

Doing the math oojay's way still gets you 9, as I think canwll showed earlier in the thread.

6/2*(1+2)
P: 6/2*(3)
E: 6/2*(3)
M: 18/2
D: 9
A: 9
S: 9

This isn't about me, either, I'm not sure where you got that idea from. I don't know what question I ignored, either.

Dr.Seussicide · 05-01-2011, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuna

Doing the math oojay's way still gets you 9, as I think canwll showed earlier in the thread.

6/2*(1+2)
P: 6/2*(3)
E: 6/2*(3)
M: 18/2
D: 9
A: 9
S: 9

This isn't about me, either, I'm not sure where you got that idea from. I don't know what question I ignored, either.

But if you perform multiplication first, you will get 6/6 = 1. Which I guess is the basis of the argument. Because, the uncertainty is as to whether the denominator is everything after the division sign, or if the denominator of the problem is simply 2. Which leads to the simple conclusion that the problem given is underspecified unless assumptions are made.

midnight rain · 05-01-2011, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.Seussicide

But if you perform multiplication first, you will get 6/6 = 1. Which I guess is the basis of the argument. Because, the uncertainty is as to whether the denominator is everything after the division sign, or if the denominator of the problem is simply 2. Which leads to the simple conclusion that the problem given is underspecified unless assumptions are made.

Yeah I guess that seems the general consensus. I always thought that it was implied that it wasn't part of the denominator if it wasn't ALL contained in parentheses, though a lot of people seem to disagree so I may be wrong on this one.

Burning Down · 05-01-2011, 07:06 PM

Thirteen pages of arguing semantics. I think EvilChuck's question has been answered. It's time to lock the thread.

05-01-2011, 07:06 PM	#5 (permalink)
Burning Down The Music Guru. Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Beyond the Wall Posts: 4,858	Thirteen pages of arguing semantics. I think EvilChuck's question has been answered. It's time to lock the thread.