Poll: What is the answer to 48/2(9+3)?

[Dana22]

Its 288.

 

[fundayz]

wow 41.7% of people who tried this can't do basic math

order of operations....google it

And no, the question has nothing ambiguous about it; people just don't know how to read math on computers. It's almost sad.

 

[Imat]

That is just my understanding of the problem at hand, however, based on responses to this thread. I may be completely wrong on that one, but that seems to be a general source of confusion.

I suspect the simple fact that I am a computer science student is probably what utterly eliminates any confusion in this regard for me. The vast majority of the math problems I see are written in a form similar to that. I agree that, were the problem written differently, (i.e. by hand) it would be less confusing.

For example, I suspect this statement, which is identical to the one above in the OP, would be less likely to be misinterpreted:

48 (9 + 3)
2

Also CompSci. Computers are fun stuff, ain't they?

And yes. I believe it to be a problem of ascii interpretation rather than true confusion over the equation. Written by hand or as you wrote it, the confusion disappears entirely.

 

[timeadept]

The way you determine which happens first, (M or D / A or S) is you go back to the start and read the problem from left to right and do the operations in the order that they appear from left to right. In this case, division before multiplication

Or you just do it because the order doesn't matter.


I'm actually surprised about these mnemonics, I was never taught anything like that. The thing to rememver seems more complex than the actual rule to me.

This problem illustrates exactly why the order matters. There is only ever one answer to a math problem (well as long as we're dealing with functions like this one anyways). I don't know what to tell you if you don't trust me, but i am 100% sure that you handle division and multiplication whichever comes first from left to right, as with addition and subtraction.

I put this into my TI-83 and it came up with 288 (and it ALWAYS will). If that doesn't convince you that what i said is true, then i cannot convince you.

 

[ScorpSt]

Let me re-write this properly using grade-school operators:
48÷2×(9+3)
48÷2×(12)
24×(12)
288

It makes so much more sense when you don't over-think it. When you're writing it out in a line like that, '/' is the same thing as '÷'.

 

[instantbenz]

It's 2. The value of 2(9+3) lies in the denominator; there's no indication that (9+3) is a separate function.

As stated previously the parenthesis work is performed first followed by simple math from left to right in this case. Additional parenthesis around the denominator would be redundant, but from the poll it seems necessary.

 

[MagusVulpes]

It really comes down to at least 1 set of missing brackets. Since it is written linearly it should either read as (48/2)(9+3) or 48/(2(9+3)). Without brackets all computers will calculate it as 288. Whether this is the correct answer appears to be true, but without those missing brackets, it's impossible to tell what the intended answer should be. The 'pure way' would be to do 48/2 first, but every time I look at it, my brain says, and with every fiber of my being this is what it does, that 2(9+3) is a single entity beneath 48.

Ergo, I see 48/x where x=2(9+3). Whether it's proper or not, that's what I see every time I look at it. I imagine that's true for the others saying it's 2.

 

[timeadept]

Now: Question for you. When entering the problem into my calculator, with the multiplication added in, so 48/2*(9+3), it returns the answer 288.

However: When entering the equation 48/2(9+3) into the SAME CALCULATOR, it returns the answer 2.
By removing the multiplication sign from the equation, the calculater worked it out totally differently.

To tease the brains of those so invested already and perhaps for some amusement, why?

I did the exact same thing with my calculator and it returned the exact same answer both times, 288. You must have made an error when entering one of the two because those are the same equation and have the same answer. (48/2*(9+3))=(48/2(9+3))

 

[SenorNemo]

It's a horribly transcribed problem, but my first instinct calculating it in my head was 288.

 

[Zukhramm]

This problem illustrates exactly why the order matters. There is only ever one answer to a math problem (well as long as we're dealing with functions like this one anyways). I don't know what to tell you if you don't trust me, but i am 100% sure that you handle division and multiplication whichever comes first from left to right, as with addition and subtraction.

I put this into my TI-83 and it came up with 288 (and it ALWAYS will). If that doesn't convince you that what i said is true, then i cannot convince you.

But addition and subtraction can be done in any order aswell, x-y is the same as -y+x. You can flip them about and juggle them any way you want. The reason we are getting different answers from the expression OP posted is because there's disagreement on what this expression actually is, not because of what order multiplications happen in.

 

[AgDr_ODST]

Im not doing your homework for you...so in lieu of that statement the answer your looking for is Bacon! Bacon is always the answer!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Mayki5]

I did the exact same thing with my calculator and it returned the exact same answer both times, 288. You must have made an error when entering one of the two because those are the same equation and have the same answer. (48/2*(9+3))=(48/2(9+3))

No errors were made during entry, double checked it across the dual line display. I could get photos, but that would be a pain.

I tried it on my TI-89 and a Casio fx-9750G and the result was 288 regardless of if I entered a multiplication symbol between the 2 and the (. I'm curious as to what calculator was in use given that a mistake of that sort would generally reside at the hardware level and it would necessarily make the same mistake any time an equation of that form were entered.

On my side, Casio FX-83MS, S-V.P.A.M.

 

[ScorpSt]

Let me put this simply. This equation is not a fraction. This is "Fourty-five divided by two, multiplied by the sum of nine and three". That's it. If you can't figure it out from that, You Fail Math Forever.

Captcha: Dairnif could. I don't know who Dairnif is, but apparently he could figure this problem out.

 

[Treefingers]

The correct answer is to punch whoever first wrote the problem and rewrite it (48/2)(9+3) or 48/(2(9+3)).

Failing that, 288 working left to right.

 

[TacticalAssassin1]

HOW DOES THIS GET SEVEN PAGES OF DISCUSSION!?!?

 

[marblemadness]

I can't believe how many idiots are saying 2... that's just embarrassing guys. The BEDMAS rule does not say to use division then multiplication, it says to use them in order from left to right, same with addition and subtraction, it's more like:

BE(DM)(AS)

The answer is 288. Take it from me, I have a programming degree and am currently working on a Master's, it's 288

 

[Donbett1974]

Seeing that there no * in the 48/2(9+3) means that people would come up with their own preference is it
24*(9+3)=288
24/(9+3)=2
24+(9+3)=36
24-(9+3)=12
48/24=2 (2*12)
48/.17=282.35 (2/12)
48/14=3.4 (2+12)
48/.10=.48 (2-12)

 

[MagusVulpes]

HOW DOES THIS GET SEVEN PAGES OF DISCUSSION!?!?

Because there's nothing on tv, we can't sleep (or shouldn't be yet), and it's an interesting discussion on which mathematical principles applies where, and this will probably be the last time MANY of us think about such a problem until our next required math class, since most of the math we'd do in the work place is pretty cut and dry since you have a frame of reference for whether it's a fraction or not, lol.

At least it makes me lol.

 

[Moromillas]

*looks at results of the poll*
This is basic arithmetic.... Basic BOMDAS....
Faith in Humanity -1