48÷2(9+3)=?

[Amphoteric]

I'm going with this answer...

 

[Tom_N7]

I hate to add an opinion, but seriously, this is a troll question. 45% of people are going to say 2. 45% will say 288. The remaining 10% (I think, looking at this thread, that it's roughly a correct proportion) are the ones who are seeing both points of view and why the question itself (NOT the people answering it, until someone comes up with an answer that is neither 2 nor 288) is vague and thus in a mathematics context, stupid.

When I first read the question, I got two, as per the logic below (thanks Lord Stompy).

Okay, how about an expression to sort out the dividing and multipling, just as an example to people who think otherwise.

So we have the expression
48÷2x

The 2 belongs to the x, because that's how many x components there are. The 48 doesn't magically 'take' the 2 from the 2x term, making the expression simplify to:
24x

That's ridiculous, even if you only have limited knowledge of mathematics you can see this doesn't work.

Now, if we say that x=(9+3), we substitute x with (9+3) and arrive at the original expression of 48÷2(9+3)

If you then repeat the process with the original equation, once again, the 48 does not take the 2 from the (9+3) term

Hence the answer arrived at is that 48÷2(9+3)= 2

For the more graphically inclined people here is a simple way of sorting this out:

                              48
48÷2(9+3) = --------------------
                           2(9+3)

The terms are seperated by the division line so there is no confusion.

Hope some of you learnt something.

But in truth, 288 is just as valid, if only because the question does not specify which method it intends you to use. If you work it from left to right, you get 288. If you treat the 2 as a coefficient of the terms in the bracket, you will evaluate that first and get two. Matter of personal preference. I will refute any arguments that division comes before multiplication based on the order of operations, because they are technically identical (division is the same as multiplication by the reciprocal, so x/2 = (1/2)*x, for example).

So yeah. This is not a 10 + 10 * 0 question that preys on those that gave up on maths before they were taught order of operations. It is simply a vague question with two alternative answers depending on how it is interpreted; either (48/2)(9+3) or 48/(2(9+3)), giving 288 and 2 respectively. Stop posting working to try and prove your point, because no one is going to present wrong working. Both ways are perfectly valid ways to interpret this question.

 

[Thomas Rembrandt]

Seriously? That's like third grade stuff right there!Second grade even!

It's 2. No other answer is true or acceptable in any form or way.

How you people even pass math if you can't solve this.And I'm not trying to be a douche or anything , but this simply amazes me !

Yes indeed, it's amazing how wrong (and proud of it) you are.

Multiplications and Diversions have to be interpreted from left to right, otherwise any computer would get confused with longer equations. Try something like 4/3*(2+1)/5 and then what?

so 288 is the correct answer. Any math software including google and wolfram alpha tell the same.

4/3*(2+1)/5 isn't hard at all.It's 0,79(or 0,78 depending on how many numbers you take from the repeating decimal)

the answer is 4/5 or 0.8. Parsing from left to right. I have no idea how you end up with 0.79 but if you meant 0.8 then you were parsing correctly and you would end up with 288 at the OP's formula

 

[lizabeth19]

...Not again*...

*I've seen a similar thread about a month ago. Was annoying then, infuriating now.

 

[Lizardon]

Why does this thread keep coming up?

I find it hilarious that everyone is using the Order of Operations, but arriving at different answers.

To add my two cents, 288. Brackets first, then multiplication and division going left to right.

 

[Jodah]

48÷2(9+3)
48÷2(12)
24(12)
288

Multiplication and division are done at the same time from left to right. Same with addition and subtraction. PEMDAS (as its learned in the US) can be PEDMSA and be correct.

 

[Amphoteric]

You apply a technique called BoDMAS. Which is an method which states:

Brackets
over
Division
Multiplication
Addition
Subtraction

Essentially it is an order of priority, the higher up you go, the higher the priority in the sum is. This was a technique I applied in A-Levels and is rather relvent here I feel in solving this problem.

So by this method, the answer is:

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

And there you go, simple and effective.

you need to expand the bracket first.

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

Also my scientific calculator agrees with me.

Why is the escapist so terrible at maths? Last time there were people ignoring a mathematical proof that 0.999... equals 1.

 

[Hristo Tzonkov]

288

bedmas or what ever

so 9+3=12
48/2=12*12=288

Spoiler: similiar sort of question

It's the the same.Latter equation is people being stupid.This is just worded wrongly and causes discussion of the prime order of actions in an equation.

 

[Sikachu]

288
1.Terms inside parentheses or brackets
2.Exponents and roots
3.Multiplication and division as they appear left to right
4.Addition and subtraction as they appear left to right

That is the order

/thread

Correct. Also best usage of /thread I've seen on this website.

 

[Breadzombie]

Seriously? That's like third grade stuff right there!Second grade even!

It's 2. No other answer is true or acceptable in any form or way.

How you people even pass math if you can't solve this.And I'm not trying to be a douche or anything , but this simply amazes me !

Yes indeed, it's amazing how wrong (and proud of it) you are.

Multiplications and Diversions have to be interpreted from left to right, otherwise any computer would get confused with longer equations. Try something like 4/3*(2+1)/5 and then what?

so 288 is the correct answer. Any math software including google and wolfram alpha tell the same.

4/3*(2+1)/5 isn't hard at all.It's 0,79(or 0,78 depending on how many numbers you take from the repeating decimal)

the answer is 4/5 or 0.8. Parsing from left to right. I have no idea how you end up with 0.79 but if you meant 0.8 then you were parsing correctly and you would end up with 288 at the OP's formula

4/3 = 1,3333333inf
3/5 = 0,6
1,333333infx0,6 = 0,79 or 1,3 x 0,6 = 0,78

I have no idea how you end up with 0,8 and as i said it's second grade math , so no i'm not proud of it at all.

 

[Broady Brio]

48÷2(9+3)=?
48÷2x12=?
48÷24=?
=2

At 48÷2x12 <- why do you assume "2x12" belong together? There is your mistake, they are not married

so ... 288

Married? Can't say I've heard that term in Mathematical situation before.

I only assumed because when for example 2 is next to a bracket like so, I've been taught it's 2 times whatever's in the brackets.

For example;
2(8)
I've been taught that is equal to 2 x 8, which is 16. Unless both me AND my scientific calculator is wrong...

 

[Alade]

Not this again... At the first thread I was convinced it was 288, but turns out it is actually 2.

 

[Ragsnstitches]

Seriously? That's like third grade stuff right there!Second grade even!

It's 2. No other answer is true or acceptable in any form or way.

How you people even pass math if you can't solve this.And I'm not trying to be a douche or anything , but this simply amazes me !

Here's one answer:

Here's my answer. The question is ambiguous. It isn't a maths problem, its a symbolic language parsing problem. The solution you get depends on your parsing algorithm, and not on any fundamental understanding of maths. Maths is fundamental, the language system used to express it is arbitrary and, if poorly designed, fallible.

I like this response, as it makes me feel less stupid. Kudos.

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

Look people saying do brackets first that means you do what is inside the brackets then you multiply out in order. So since there is no ambiguity here as he has not used the / which can be used for either a fraction line or division the answer is 288. In the other equation 48/2(9+3) it is ambiguous as it could either be 48 over 2(9+3) or the equation shown here.

 

[Torrasque]

I am getting sick of threads and facebook questions like these >.>

48 / 2 (9+3)
Brackets (or Parenthesis if you prefer)
48 / 2 (12)
Exponent
48 / 2 (12)
Division
24 (12)
Multiplication
288
Addition
288
Subtraction
288

I might be wrong since I've been up all night watching MLP and playing S&D on MW2, but I don't think I am.
Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but provide proof please.
Or just ignore this entire thread and carry on talking about things of merit, like whether strawberry ice cream tastes like raspberry ice cream or not...

 

[Thomas Rembrandt]

Seriously? That's like third grade stuff right there!Second grade even!

It's 2. No other answer is true or acceptable in any form or way.

How you people even pass math if you can't solve this.And I'm not trying to be a douche or anything , but this simply amazes me !

Yes indeed, it's amazing how wrong (and proud of it) you are.

Multiplications and Diversions have to be interpreted from left to right, otherwise any computer would get confused with longer equations. Try something like 4/3*(2+1)/5 and then what?

so 288 is the correct answer. Any math software including google and wolfram alpha tell the same.

4/3*(2+1)/5 isn't hard at all.It's 0,79(or 0,78 depending on how many numbers you take from the repeating decimal)

the answer is 4/5 or 0.8. Parsing from left to right. I have no idea how you end up with 0.79 but if you meant 0.8 then you were parsing correctly and you would end up with 288 at the OP's formula

4/3 = 1,3333333inf
3/5 = 0,6
1,333333infx0,6 = 0,79 or 1,3 x 0,6 = 0

I have no idea how you end up with 0,8 and as i said it's second grade math , so no i'm not proud of it at all.

4/3 = 1 and a third. (4/3) * (3/5) = (12/15) = (4/5) = 0.8. Go back to 2n class, mate.

oh, and (48/2)*12 is still 288.

 

[nazereth357]

http://gobodynow.com/48-%C3%B7-2-93/

I think this should clear things up a bit... Well, maybe. It explains the problem with using the distributive property (seeing it as 48/2x) and such. For the record, I got 288.

I'm really shocked by the people that think multiplication always goes before division, and addition before subtraction though. I thought they were teaching better in schools, it's left to right.

 

[silasbufu]

For the love of god not this again

 

[Wintermoot]

48:2=24
9+3=11
24X11=264

 

[Olecksandr Babiak]

Err, dude, no offence or somethin', but how old are you ? Cos' in my Ukraine we already now stuff like this in second grade.