Poll: Solve a simple math problem

[TheTechnomancer]

The answer is minus infinity.
(1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1)-(1+1+1+1+1+1+(1/0))
=10-(6+infinity)
=10-infinity
=-infinity
If the end was 1*0= then the answer would be 4 as adding brackets the sum equates to
(1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1)-(1+1+1+1+1+1+(1*0))
=10-(6+0)
=4

...
...
...
...whut

I just added brackets to show the order of operations. Also i refuse to use x as a multiplication symbol on a computer as this just confuses it with algebra.

Then you did it wrong. the - 1 is just subtracting one from the total. It doesn't mean subtract the other half of the equation. The brackets would have to be a part of the original problem to imply that.
The best way to write this would probably be.

(1*0) + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 +1 + 1 + 1 +1 + 1 + 1 +1 + 1 + 1 - 1 = 14
(Addition is commutative, so re-arranging the equation is entirely permitted)

I agree that -1 is just subtracting one from the total, but what we're taught in school is that the order of operations is that you do addition then subtraction. So taking this to the logical conclusion would lead to the answer being 4. I don't like it but thats what we're taught.

They are teaching you very wrongly then :/
This is actually an issue with teaching students with the acronym PEDMAS or PEMDAS or whichever you learn. It doesn't clarify that addition and subtraction take the same precedence because they're inverse operations of each other. Same with multiplication and division.
I tutor math in school and this is an annoying habit to break people of.

This was exactly the problem I had at school.

 

[Meltyman]

no matter what numbers are in the front if the last one is multiply with 0 its always 0.

was i correct?

 

[evilneko]

I didn't even notice he snuck a minus in there at first.

 

[AroLombardi]

no matter what numbers are in the front if the last one is multiply with 0 its always 0.

was i correct?

Nope. PEMDAS (or PEDMAS or whatever).

 

[Zombie_Fish]

0=1-1
0=1-1+1-1
0=1-1+1-1+1-1
0=1-1+1-1+1-1+.....
0=1+(-1+1)+(-1+1)+....
0=1+0+0+0+...
0=1

Third and fourth lines don't quite work out. Simply using the going on to infinity argument doesn't work in that case as there would still need to be a -1 at the end for both sides of the calculation to be equal. Therefore, when you put it all in brackets in the fourth line the 1 at the start would cancel with the -1 at the end and you would end up proving that 0=0.

Oh, and the answer to the maths problem is 14. It saddens me that so many people end up answering with 0. It's not a misuse of parenthesis or a badly written out fraction, it's just bad maths.

 

[TheTechnomancer]

No you don't. Sorry I can't offer you more explination, but you're just wrong. I'm always open to the notion that I'm wrong (even when I'm 100% sure I'm right) so I checked with Wolfram Mathematica (a program used at universities for mathematics and physics) and they also agreed with me. It would have been different if he had used brackets. I can see how you got that misconception you probably know: First brackets, then powers, then roots, then multiplying, then adding, then substracting. But this is wrong it's: First brackets, then powers and roots, then multiplying and dividing, then adding and substracting. Powers and roots, dividing and multipliyng, substracting and adding are basically all the same opperations. (Don't worry if you don't understand that last sentence, that's only important if you use math a lot).

I do use maths a lot. It's just this dam'd BIDMAS acronym trying to creep back into my skull.

 

[FalloutJack]

Excuse me, but...why is anyone even mentioning dividing by zero? THERE IS NO DIVISION SIGN. (Also, people are changing the problem around. Why is that? Work with what's in front of you!)

 

[evilneko]

Excuse me, but...why is anyone even mentioning dividing by zero? THERE IS NO DIVISION SIGN. (Also, people are changing the problem around. Why is that? Work with what's in front of you!)

The OP originally had a typo, and was later edited.

 

[madwarper]

Excuse me, but...why is anyone even mentioning dividing by zero? THERE IS NO DIVISION SIGN.

Edited original post is... Edited.

(Also, people are changing the problem around. Why is that? Work with what's in front of you!)

A misunderstanding, or misremembering, of the mnemonic PEMDAS, or w/e they were taught, that describes the order of operations.

 

[FalloutJack]

Excuse me, but...why is anyone even mentioning dividing by zero? THERE IS NO DIVISION SIGN. (Also, people are changing the problem around. Why is that? Work with what's in front of you!)

The OP originally had a typo, and was later edited.

Excuse me, but...why is anyone even mentioning dividing by zero? THERE IS NO DIVISION SIGN.

Edited original post is... Edited.

(Also, people are changing the problem around. Why is that? Work with what's in front of you!)

A misunderstanding, or misremembering, of the mnemonic PEMDAS, or w/e they were taught, that describes the order of operations.

Oh, I see. Glad that was cleared up then.

Anyway, the answer - according to me I Ching calculator - is "A suffusion of yellow".

 

[Mr Dizazta]

1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1-1+1+1+1+1+1+1X0=14
\ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ /
2 2 2 2 2 0 2 2 0
\ / \ / \ / \ /
4 4 2 4
\ / \ /
8 6
\ /
14
Order of Operations dictates that it goes parentheses, multiplication/division, then add/subtraction. There are no parentheses, so you first multiply the 1X0=0. After that, you just add/subtract the 1 and 0. also the the person who said this:
(1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1)-(1+1+1+1+1+1+1X0)=/=1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1-1+1+1+1+1+1+1X0
because1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1)-(1+1+1+1+1+1+1X0)=1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1X0
also 1/0 is infinity. You add anything to infinity, it is still infinity.

 

[TheTechnomancer]

The answer is minus infinity.
(1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1)-(1+1+1+1+1+1+(1/0))
=10-(6+infinity)
=10-infinity
=-infinity
If the end was 1*0= then the answer would be 4 as adding brackets the sum equates to
(1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1)-(1+1+1+1+1+1+(1*0))
=10-(6+0)
=4

*slaps* X/0 IS UNDEFINED!

The (new) answer is 14.

One of the deffinitions of infinity is 1/0 so in this case i'm right.

It's not. You're wrong.

Infinity multiplied by 0 is still 0.

Well i'm not sure but my maths text book says 1/0 is infinity so no ofense but i'll trust that over you.

 

[rutger5000]

No you don't. Sorry I can't offer you more explination, but you're just wrong. I'm always open to the notion that I'm wrong (even when I'm 100% sure I'm right) so I checked with Wolfram Mathematica (a program used at universities for mathematics and physics) and they also agreed with me. It would have been different if he had used brackets. I can see how you got that misconception you probably know: First brackets, then powers, then roots, then multiplying, then adding, then substracting. But this is wrong it's: First brackets, then powers and roots, then multiplying and dividing, then adding and substracting. Powers and roots, dividing and multipliyng, substracting and adding are basically all the same opperations. (Don't worry if you don't understand that last sentence, that's only important if you use math a lot).

I do use maths a lot. It's just this dam'd BIDMAS acronym trying to creep back into my skull.

I can't believe such wrong methodes are actually used world wide. I'm Dutch and I was thought Hoe Moeten Wij Van De Onvoldoendes Afkomen (how should we get write of the failing marks). The capitals of each word stand for an opperation (what does I stand for in BIDMAS ?) And it was also thaught incorrectly. I thought it was an isolated incident.
I'm glad I've seen this forum though. If I ever get children I'll encourage them to skip as many lessons as possible. It's quiet clear to me that children can only learn social skills on school. I'll teach my children the rest myself. Now that I think about it I also thaught myself almost everything I know. I only learned Dutch and a tiny bit of French and German at highschool.

 

[Togs]

Idontgetit, piece of useless GCSE maths lead me to believe anything multiplied by zero equals 1? Was I lied too?

 

[TheTechnomancer]

No you don't. Sorry I can't offer you more explination, but you're just wrong. I'm always open to the notion that I'm wrong (even when I'm 100% sure I'm right) so I checked with Wolfram Mathematica (a program used at universities for mathematics and physics) and they also agreed with me. It would have been different if he had used brackets. I can see how you got that misconception you probably know: First brackets, then powers, then roots, then multiplying, then adding, then substracting. But this is wrong it's: First brackets, then powers and roots, then multiplying and dividing, then adding and substracting. Powers and roots, dividing and multipliyng, substracting and adding are basically all the same opperations. (Don't worry if you don't understand that last sentence, that's only important if you use math a lot).

I do use maths a lot. It's just this dam'd BIDMAS acronym trying to creep back into my skull.

I can't believe such wrong methodes are actually used world wide. I'm Dutch and I was thought Hoe Moeten Wij Van De Onvoldoendes Afkomen (how should we get write of the failing marks). The capitals of each word stand for an opperation (what does I stand for in BIDMAS ?) And it was also thaught incorrectly. I thought it was an isolated incident.
I'm glad I've seen this forum though. If I ever get children I'll encourage them to skip as many lessons as possible. It's quiet clear to me that children can only learn social skills on school. I'll teach my children the rest myself. Now that I think about it I also thaught myself almost everything I know. I only learned Dutch and a tiny bit of French and German at highschool.

The I stands for Indeces.
Glad to see I haven't been wrong for that past few years for ignoring this lesson.

 

[Meltyman]

damn how could i ever survive without this info

 

[madwarper]

also 1/0 is infinity. You add anything to infinity, it is still infinity.

Wrong.

In Y=1/X, as X approaches 0, Y will approach infinity. However, 1/0 is undefined, not infinity.

(what does I stand for in BIDMAS ?)

Brackets Indices Multiplication Division Addition Subtraction

 

[madwarper]

Idontgetit, piece of useless GCSE maths lead me to believe anything multiplied by zero equals 1? Was I lied too?

Anything raised to the power of 0 is 1. Anything multipled by 0 is 0.

Ex. 2^-1 = .5; 2^0 = 1; 2^1 = 2; 2^2 =4

 

[bluewolf]

Sh*t! I thought I was stupid!