Poll: Solve a simple math problem

[madwarper]

Look's like I shall disappoint Purple Shrimp yet again, by pointing out something "too ridiculously obvious".

At the end there, is it being multiplied by zero?
Becuase if it is i believe that anything multiplied by zero, is zero.
So zero.

Yes, there is something being multiplied by 0. But, what is "it", that's being multiplied?

If you're thinking that it's the sum of the previous numbers, you're mistaken.

In order of operations, multiplication happens before addition/subtraction. The sole 1 at the end become 0. And, then you take the sum of the rest of the numbers as normal.

I'm pretty sure that, if being multiplied by zero is at the last stage in the sum, then it is indeed zero, becuase zero lots of anything is zero.
Or am i missing something?

Yes.

Order of operations; [1] Parentheses [2] Exponents [3] Multiplications/Divisions [4] Addition/Subtraction

#1: 1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1-1+1+1+1+1+1+1*0 [No parentheses]
#2: 1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1-1+1+1+1+1+1+1*0 [No exponents]
#3: 1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1-1+1+1+1+1+1+0 [Multiplication 1*0=0]
#4: 14 [Addition/Subtraction 10 -1 +5 +0 = 14]

 

[emptyother]

Doh! Voted "0". I want to redo my vote!

I'm pretty sure that, if being multiplied by zero is at the last stage in the sum, then it is indeed zero, becuase zero lots of anything is zero.
Or am i missing something?

Was my first thought, before my head went "Doh!".
Do all multiplication and division FIRST, THEN do the addition and subtraction.

Or just ask google to do it for you..

 

[TheLoneBeet]

B.E.D.M.A.S

14

Also, if I'm wrong; I don't care. If you got it wrong; don't worry about it.

P.S. Dividing by zero = Apocalypse

 

[Sizzle Montyjing]

Doh! Voted "0". I want to redo my vote!

I'm pretty sure that, if being multiplied by zero is at the last stage in the sum, then it is indeed zero, becuase zero lots of anything is zero.
Or am i missing something?

Was my first thought, before my head went "Doh!".
Do all multiplication and division FIRST, THEN do the addition and subtraction.

Or just ask google to do it for you..

Why do you do the multiplication first?
Seriously, because in that way, i want people to solve this- 1+1*2.
This is why in maths, we have brackets.
TO AVOID CONFUSION!

 

[Flailing Escapist]

My problem is that it is maths, not math. You wouldn't say 'I'm going to university to study mathematic'. Let the 16th letter of the alphabet back into your life.

OT: Yeah, I think you got it pretty much right in your solution. Multiplication comes first, and then addition and subtraction, in either order.

[small]I should be letting P back into my life alphabet?
Edit: good, you changed it.[/small]

I disagree. It's english.
It's a problem of the math variety.
I could have said, "Solve a simple problem".
But it's a "simple problem" with a adjective of "math".

But pointing that out did make me notice that the title should say:
"Solve a simple, math problem".
not
"Solve a simple math problem".

"simple" and "math" being adjectives to the noun "problem"
"simple" and "math" just add flavor and information to the otherwise dull sentence: "Solve a problem"

But I don't know, I'm not a particularly adept english person.

 

[madwarper]

Why do you do the multiplication first?

Order of operations [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_operation]

Seriously, because in that way, i want people to solve this- 1+1*2.

3; Assuming the '-' wasn't a negative connotation.

#1: 1+1*2 [No parentheses]
#2: 1+1*2 [No exponents]
#3: 1+2 [Multiplication 1*2=2]
#4: 3 [Addition 1+2=3]

This is why in maths, we have brackets.

They're part of the order, but are not required because we have the order.

 

[Sizzle Montyjing]

Why do you do the multiplication first?

Order of operations [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_operation]

Seriously, because in that way, i want people to solve this- 1+1*2.

3; Assuming the '-' wasn't a negative connotation.

#1: 1+1*2 [No parentheses]
#2: 1+1*2 [No exponents]
#3: 1+2 [Multiplication 1*2=2]
#4: 3 [Addition 1+2=3]

This is why in maths, we have brackets.

They're part of the order, but are not required because we have the order.

This is why maths is retarded beyond belief.
And also, i'm pretty sure that 1+1x2 is 4, at least that's the way i've been taught.
But then again my maths teacher is so utterly hopeless at anything i just... HATE THINKING ABOUT HER.
Oh god she was awful...

 

[madwarper]

This is why maths is retarded beyond belief.
And also, i'm pretty sure that 1+1x2 is 4,

Well, (1+1)*2 would equal 4. But, without the parentheses, it's 3.

 

[mageroel]

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

The mistake here is that it should be 1*(-1+1), not +. Although I am sure of it you know that.

 

[Sizzle Montyjing]

This is why maths is retarded beyond belief.
And also, i'm pretty sure that 1+1x2 is 4,

Well, (1+1)*2 would equal 4. But, without the parentheses, it's 3.

Okay, okay, okay...
at what age do yet get taught this stuff? Because i don't remember this, like, at all.
And we really should use brackets more often.

 

[madwarper]

This is why maths is retarded beyond belief.
And also, i'm pretty sure that 1+1x2 is 4,

Well, (1+1)*2 would equal 4. But, without the parentheses, it's 3.

Okay, okay, okay...
at what age do yet get taught this stuff? Because i don't remember this, like, at all.
And we really should use brackets more often.

Age? Hmm... If I'm not mistaken, I was in the 3rd grade. Which was would put it in the school year of 92-93. Which would be 18-19 years ago.

Now I feel old.

 

[Xavisam]

I wouldn't blame anyone for getting this wrong because it is designed as a trick question
and even trying to read those small numbers made my eyes hurt

 

[John the Gamer]

isn't anything with *0 in it (or x0) supposed to be 0? So yeah. That's math from first class in highschool.

0

 

[Sizzle Montyjing]

Age? Hmm... If I'm not mistaken, I was in the 3rd grade. Which was would put it in the school year of 92-93. Which would be 18-19 years ago.

Now I feel old.

Hmmm, i live in England so i'm not sure to when the 3rd grade was, and both systems of education are different so you never know...

 

[madwarper]

Age? Hmm... If I'm not mistaken, I was in the 3rd grade. Which was would put it in the school year of 92-93. Which would be 18-19 years ago.

Now I feel old.

Hmmm, i live in England so i'm not sure to when the 3rd grade was, and both systems of education are different so you never know...

Well, if wikipedia [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_stages#United_States_and_Canada] is to be believed, US 3rd Grade should be the equivalent to the UK Year 4.

 

[Sizzle Montyjing]

Age? Hmm... If I'm not mistaken, I was in the 3rd grade. Which was would put it in the school year of 92-93. Which would be 18-19 years ago.

Now I feel old.

Hmmm, i live in England so i'm not sure to when the 3rd grade was, and both systems of education are different so you never know...

Well, if wikipedia [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_stages#United_States_and_Canada] is to be believed, US 3rd Grade should be the equivalent to the UK Year 4.

No wonder i can't remember!
I cna't even remember yesterday, let alone year 4.

 

[varulfic]

Multiplied by 0 means the answer is 0. If you want the answer to be 14, you should have added some parenthesis.

 

[SeaCalMaster]

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.

Are you sure it doesn't just say that the limit of 1/x as x->0 is infinity? Infinity is a tricky concept...

Pretty sure as some questions in the book required you to use 'infinity = 1/0' in order to get to the correct answer.

Example please?

Riemann Sphere [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riemann_sphere]

AAH WHY DO THE ANALYSTS HAVE TO RUIN EVERYTHING
THE EXTENDED COMPLEX NUMBERS AREN'T EVEN A GROUP UNDER ADDITION

Also, it's not technically correct to say that the limit of 1/x as x->0 is infinity. The series diverges, so it's not even really true that the limit exists.

 

[Xealeon]

Multiplied by 0 means the answer is 0. If you want the answer to be 14, you should have added some parenthesis.

no, if you want the answer to be zero you should have added some parenthesis. The lack of parenthesis means that the numbers are separate so only 1 of them is being multiplied by zero. In short:
X+X*0 = X
(X+X)*0 = 0

 

[Jaime_Wolf]

Oh look, ANOTHER thread about order of operations.

Once again, order of operations is a completely arbitrary convention used to make evaluation easier for humans doing algebra. The ability to perform calculations according to order of operations is not in any reasonable way a good indication of mathematical understanding, it's just an indication of how well you memorised arbitrary conventions in school. The PEMDAS order isn't inherently "better" than PASEMD or any other order aside from convenience.

Showing that people don't know this isn't showing that mathematical education is poor, it's showing that arbitrary conventions are difficult to memorise when they don't come up in everday life very often.