Poll: Solve a simple math problem
- Thread starter Flailing Escapist
- Start date
I came up with 4 myself. And yet the answer is 14. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I followed the PEMDAS rule and multiplyed 1 x 0, then I added all the ones up to the minus sign, which is ten, and then I added the ones after that, which is 6.
10-6=4.
I don't understand.
And on that note:
10-6=4.
I don't understand.
And on that note:
Only one of them is negative, all the ones after the negative are not negative.scorptatious said:
1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1-1+1+1+1+1+1+1*0
1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1-1+1+1+1+1+1+(0)
2+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1-1+1+1+1+1+1
3+1+1+1+1+1+1+1-1+1+1+1+1+1
etc.
10-1+1+1+1+1+1
9+1+1+1+1+1
10+1+1+1+1
etc.
14
What you are thinking would only happen if it was like this.
1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1-(1+1+1+1+1+1)+1*0
in which case the negative 1 in front of the brackets would distribute through.
What anyone who put 0 is thinking of is
(1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1-1+1+1+1+1+1+1)*0
in which case the addition would all take precedence over the multiplication due to being inside the brackets and therefore the multiply by zero would be the final step taken.
I always hate it when this math problem makes the rounds in the forum. It makes me feel so stupid. So yeah, I voted for "fucked if I know" 'cos math and I are not pals.
Now I'm going to go mope in a corner like a toddler.
Now I'm going to go mope in a corner like a toddler.
Hear hear!Naeo said:
* solves differential equation in head, thinks 16-9 is 5 for half an hour*
Nope, that's all right - except only one 1 is multiplied by 0. Everything else is added and subtracted around it.Togs said:
I am amazed that there's this much confusion about such a simple operation - how do people work out their bus fares or check their change in shops?!
"Ok, I had £10, then I spent £1.70 on the bus fare, then £5.60 on a cinema ticket, then I bought a coffee... that leaves me with... lemme see, carry the one, divide by zeroooOOOOHHH SHIIIIII" *world implodes*
Order of operations says I multiply first, so its basically taking away one of the 1s so thats 16.
It's not so much a maths problem as a memory/perception problem. Memory for if you remember P/BEDMAS which is easy enough to do I suppose if your job/field of study doesn't involve much arithmetic and perception for if you notice that sneaky little minus in the field of plusses which I didn't the first time I saw this as I just skimmed over it.
So yeah, I don't see why folk are getting so haughty over this.
So yeah, I don't see why folk are getting so haughty over this.
If that's what you were taught at your school, they taught you incorrectly.TheTechnomancer said:
http://www.mathgoodies.com/lessons/vol7/order_operations.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_operations#The_standard_order_of_operations
http://www.mathsisfun.com/operation-order-pemdas.html
And I could keep going, but the point you should be getting is that you just go left to right with addition and subtraction once you get to them. Addition does not take precedence over subtraction.
Thus you get:
1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1-1+1+1+1+1+1+1*0
1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1-1+1+1+1+1+1+0
2+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1-1+1+1+1+1+1
3+1+1+1+1+1+1+1-1+1+1+1+1+1
4+1+1+1+1+1+1-1+1+1+1+1+1
5+1+1+1+1+1-1+1+1+1+1+1
6+1+1+1+1-1+1+1+1+1+1
7+1+1+1-1+1+1+1+1+1
8+1+1-1+1+1+1+1+1
9+1-1+1+1+1+1+1
10-1+1+1+1+1+1
9+1+1+1+1+1
10+1+1+1+1
11+1+1+1
12+1+1
13+1
14
Of course, you can drop the +0 much earlier because it's 0. But subtraction has the same priority as addition, so you do it when you get to it. You don't bracket it off and do it last (unless the problem in question comes with it already bracketed off, but this one doesn't).
Well if Hollywood and it's bullshit has taught us anything, just make language work like that. If we have to hear shit like Brangelina and Bennifer, let's just go nuts and start saying "multiplivision" and "addtraction" or something.Hexenwolf said:
...Or head over to Hollywood with flamethrowers and make them pay for crimes against the English language. Whichever more people want to do, I'm not going to be picky on this one.
