6÷2(1+2)=? (2 Viewers)

rob9872 · May 4, 2011

division and multiplication are not the issue as the order doesn't affect the outcome. What we need is the difinitive on the interpretation of whether the 2 relates to the brackets or the 6.

Obviously if it was

6
- (2+1)
2

Then the answer is clear but saying 6/2(2+1) it leaves it open to interpretation and I can't decide

BenInTurin · May 4, 2011

...I'm voting Liberal democrats...

rob9872 · May 4, 2011

BenInTurin said:
...I'm voting Liberal democrats...

Maybe you are but I guess you'll still find it hard to vote for anything with the initals "AV"

Il Pirata · May 4, 2011

9, parentheses multiply.

SkyBlue_Bear83 · May 4, 2011

lol at attempted troll

The question is really missing a set of brackets
(6/2)*(1+2)=9
6/(2(1+2))=1
But from how is written in the title it would give the answer 9

bamalamafizzfazz · May 4, 2011

My other half (a maths teacher) says...
This equation is wrong. There is no right answer. As others have already stated another set of brackets is needed to follow the rules. I have been winding her up for the last half an hour saying that she must be rubbish because she can't work out the answer to a simple sum ointlaugh:

dilligaf · May 4, 2011

6/2(1+2)= 0 or 1 or 6 or 9
the equation is wrong
6/2 *(1+2)= 9
6/2+(1+2)=6
6/2-(1+2)=0
6/2/1+2)=1 but this one needs another set of brackets to follow the rules

egastap · May 4, 2011

rob9872 said:
division and multiplication are not the issue as the order doesn't affect the outcome. What we need is the difinitive on the interpretation of whether the 2 relates to the brackets or the 6.

Obviously if it was

6
- (2+1)
2

Then the answer is clear but saying 6/2(2+1) it leaves it open to interpretation and I can't decide

Rob, if I remember my maths correct from long, long ago, the BODMAS rule says that, despite reading the contrary on a few people's comments, that the DM and the AS are in fact equals, and should be carried out left to right in the equation. I referred to a website which confirms this fact. It will help the originator of this thread and many other readers also to get this Grade 7/8 maths resolved. It is www.mathisfun.com

Should resolve this once and for all, plus many other mathematical problems. I use it with my grandkids who are 11/12 yrs old and they have come on immensely in the last year. Try it and see what you think.

I'mARealWizard · May 5, 2011

rob9872 said:
division and multiplication are not the issue as the order doesn't affect the outcome.

This is wrong.

The order most certainly does matter.

For example:

1÷4*3

If you do division first (as you should) it is (1/4)*3 = 3/4
If you do multiplication first, you would get 1/12

As I've already stated, the 2(1+2) is different to 2*(1+2) in the context of a multi-operational expression.

11 years of teaching and 2 maths degrees tells you that the answer is 1.

rob9872 · May 5, 2011

I'mARealWizard said:
This is wrong.

The order most certainly does matter.

For example:

1÷4*3

If you do division first (as you should) it is (1/4)*3 = 3/4
If you do multiplication first, you would get 1/12

Well as a teacher you should know that you can't change what you apply to the numbers to suit what you are trying to do. In your example you are dividing by 4 and multiplying by 3. Therefore what I clearly meant was that it matters not which you do first as the result is the same. To use your same example 1/4*3 is exactly the same as 1*3/4 ... surely even a two bob primary teacher can understand that?

rob9872 · May 5, 2011

I've just googled the original problem to see if I can find a difinitive solution (despite ImARealKnowall insisting that his was the only answer).

It seems that we are not the only forum debating this and it's all over the net at the moment. Some of what I've just read, has maths professors arguing against each other and concluding what some of us had previosly stated about the ambiguity of how it is displayed and that it leaves it open to interpretation. Some of the rants from clearly intelligent people are funny, as each can not see the others point of view insisting that they have the only solution.

rob9872 · May 5, 2011

Oh and I've also been reading about something related that I had never previously heard of called 'Reverse Polish Notation'. I mention it as it was attributed to logician Jan Łukasiewicz which I had to do a double-take on because my dyslexia first read it as Lukas Jutkievicz

bamalamafizzfazz · May 5, 2011

Oh reverse polish notation of course. It was the first thing Lukas taught me when he moved to the city

Disorganised1 · May 5, 2011

Its still 1

egastap · May 5, 2011

Well, someone earlier said they'd put this into Excel and it came up with 1 (I think). However, I've just tried to do the very same to see how it calculated it. Therefore, column a=6; b= 2; c=1 and d=2. Then the formula in column e=a/b(c+d). The answer is............circular reference. So, indeed the mathematicians at Microsoft declare the question to be at fault.

egastap · May 5, 2011

Curiouser and curiouser. Just Googled it.This gives the answer as 9

I'mARealWizard · May 6, 2011

rob9872 said:
Well as a teacher you should know that you can't change what you apply to the numbers to suit what you are trying to do. In your example you are dividing by 4 and multiplying by 3. Therefore what I clearly meant was that it matters not which you do first as the result is the same. To use your same example 1/4*3 is exactly the same as 1*3/4 ... surely even a two bob primary teacher can understand that?

Wow.

You sure have some issues. What's with all the negativity and aggressive tone?

Perhaps when you said "division and multiplication are not the issue as the order doesn't affect the outcome." you mean to say "In some situations the order does not affect the outcome, and if you are changing the order of operations you should change how it's written." That is not what you said or implied.

Clearly communicating with others isn't a strong point of yours. I wish you luck with that mate.

rob9872 · May 6, 2011

I'mARealWizard said:
Wow.

You sure have some issues. What's with all the negativity and aggressive tone?

Perhaps when you said "division and multiplication are not the issue as the order doesn't affect the outcome." you mean to say "In some situations the order does not affect the outcome, and if you are changing the order of operations you should change how it's written." That is not what you said or implied.

Clearly communicating with others isn't a strong point of yours. I wish you luck with that mate.

No issues here - simply don't like being told that I'm wrong by a point scoring pedant ... especially by a 'mathematician' who would be foolish enough to assume that what was meant was just to move around the signs and leave the numbers!

And if I had meant to type that "in some situations", then I would have, but since it is not in some situations but in the way in which I've since demonstrated to you by way of example that it is ALWAYS the case, then I obviously didn't.

Good day

I'mARealWizard · May 6, 2011

rob9872 said:
No issues here - simply don't like being told that I'm wrong

Fixed

And you are wrong. Unless I am supposed to be convinced by your reasoning. Which is yet to happen.

rob9872 · May 6, 2011

If it's yet to happen then you haven't looked at my workrd example

Take any series of numbers and apply the same multiplication and division to them that you would have in any order and the result will be the same

eg. 4*5/6*7/8*9 is exactly the same as 4*5*7*9/6/8 .. DUCY???

I'mARealWizard · May 6, 2011

rob9872 said:
If it's yet to happen then you haven't looked at my workrd example

Take any series of numbers and apply the same multiplication and division to them that you would have in any order and the result will be the same

eg. 4*5/6*7/8*9 is exactly the same as 4*5*7*9/6/8 .. DUCY???

Look, I'm not here for aggro. I can clearly read and write/type (without typos) and you haven't read my few posts on this matter.

My experience in this area means nothing to you and it appears that you aren't willing to even discuss this sensibly, rather than petty, inaccurate repetition of your own declaration.

Shouting louder doesn't make you more correct.

I think it's probably sensible that we just leave it at this.

rob9872 · May 6, 2011

If it's inaccurate then instead of repeating yourself perhaps you can explain where I'm wrong .. oh you can't do that. TTFN

Sky Blue Sheepy · May 6, 2011

Gentleman, please. We've all developed hardened skins (considering the shower of rancid feaces that is the football that's been flung our way by the players under Aidy) but there's no need to get that aggressive over a maths problem. Admittedly I can only see the answer I came to, but it does appear this question is very ambiguous. We should close this topic before people start arguing about it at matches xD :slap:

Alternatively, have it printed on the back of your shirt and let the hilarity ensue?

BenInTurin · May 6, 2011

Just imagine the silence from the CT stand as they discuss this instead of watching the football, they'll be no singing..... hmmm, forget what I said, it wouldn't be any different!

PS Answer is 9, god told me in a dream last night.

6÷2(1+2)=? (2 Viewers)

Well-Known Member

Facebook User

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

New Member

New Member

New Member

New Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

New Member

New Member

New Member

New Member

New Member

Well-Known Member

New Member

Well-Known Member

New Member

Well-Known Member

New Member

Facebook User

Users who are viewing this thread

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency