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

[mps4li3n]

The 2 WHICH IS OUTSIDE OF THE BRACKET is NOT INSIDE THE BRACKET.

Except that before computers there would be no need for brackets because the proper "/" math sign showed exactly what was superscript and subscript... and people don't get used to new uses that easily.

 

[Beryl77]

Both answers are correct, it depends on how you look at it.

 

[Sebobii]

As everyone else has pointed out, the problem lies with the presentation. Put this into a calculator and you would get 288. For it to result in 2 You would need another parenthesis;
48 / ( 2 (9 + 3) )
At least that's what I'm getting off C#. Hilarious

 

[wetfart]

I got 288, however my calculus professor in college did state that the numbers aren't important on several occasions.

 

[snowfi6916]

Both answers are correct, it depends on how you look at it.

Tell that to a math teacher...the answer is 288. The parentheses are not done first because the 2 is not in them. Therefore, you MUST do 48/2 first because you do multiplication and division first from left to right then add/subtract.

 

[mps4li3n]

As written the question is ambiguous and yes, in this case math is subjective. The rules of math are not, but the writing and interpretation of the formula are.

Actually i'd put it more like "math is not subjective, but how you write it is because writing employs arbitrary rules (which doesn't mean they're random)".


Just look at all the people that where talking about the left to right rule... 48*(1/2)*12 can be done 24*12 or 48*6... actual math rules cannot be broken like that.

 

[Amphoteric]

What are you multiplying by the bracket?

 

[robotam]

I can see how someone who doesn't know how to properly interpret the question might think that it is written in a terrible way. But really there is a specific way to read that statement, and if read properly it will always give the answer 288.

You can just assume that the division symbol means divide only by the first number/expression, what else would it mean? Does 2 * 3 - 4 mean anything other than two times three minus four? Does it mean two times three and two times four? I don't think so. It's a matter of reading the problem properly.

It is very possible to determine the correct answer to a math problem, but I can see how it might be hard for certain people to accept being wrong, especially on an internet forum.

You know what?
You're right. As it is written 288 would be the correct answer. I still don't like the way the question is worded.
There, someone on a forum addmited there mistakes. I've heard that every time that happens, an angel gets their wings

 

[mps4li3n]

Both answers are correct, it depends on how you look at it.

Tell that to a math teacher...the answer is 288. The parentheses are not done first because the 2 is not in them. Therefore, you MUST do 48/2 first becuase you do multiplication and division first from left to right then add/subtract.

I'm pretty sure that if i put this in front of a math teacher that has never seen a computer or one from 100 years ago (at least one over here) he'd be confused by how it's written because of the lack of noticeable superscript and subscript, as a handwritten version would have.

Hell, that's why WolframAlpha actually shows you the old way it would look: http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=48%2F2%289%2B3%29

 

[zombie711]

2, and please just do you home work

 

[Enrathi]

As written the question is ambiguous and yes, in this case math is subjective. The rules of math are not, but the writing and interpretation of the formula are.

Actually i'd put it more like "math is not subjective, but how you write it is because writing employs arbitrary rules (which doesn't mean they're random)".


Just look at all the people that where talking about the left to right rule... 48*(1/2)*12 can be done 24*12 or 48*6... actual math rules cannot be broken like that.

Fair enough and I agree. But I'll leave my original post alone cause it gets my point across well enough. Plus then your quote wouldn't make sense anymore.

 

[dsmops2003]

The correct answer to 48/2(9+3) is 288.
To satisfy the answer of 2 the formula would be (48/(2(9+3)))

I just won a math.

 

[matt87_50]

the lack of a multiplication sign gives the multiplication higher precedence over the divide operator. this is the ONLY reason the multiplication has higher precedence over divide... none of this PEMDAS BS! divide and multiply have the same priority, its just left to right, except in the case where the multiplication is done here, with at least one of the operands starting with a non digit ( parenthesis or variable) and no multiplication sign between them.

the trick is... what does the '/' symbol mean? is it "48 divided by 2(9+3)" or "the fraction 48/2 by (9+3)"

the problem is, for it to be the last one, you usually have to express the fraction with a horizontal bar and the numerator directly over the top of the denominator. unfortunately, there is no real way to do this with a keyboard... so it can get ambiguous, and both answers could be right.

on my graphics calculator, it has two symbols, for both expressing a fraction, and a divide operator... but the classic '2 dots with a horizontal bar between them' symbol, and the default symbol, is the DIVIDE operator, the operator for expressing a fraction is a secondary option.

as such, I'm inclined to view the '/' as a divide operator.

so the answer is 2

 

[c_westerman13]

BIDMAS.
Brackets first, so 48/2*12
48/24
2

if it were a divide sign, rather than being written as a fraction, there would be more ambiguity, but being a fraction, the bottom should be resolved to leave one number over another

why is this question so popular today?

 

[Hatchet90]

People look at it like this and TELL ME it's not 2.

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

The answer is 2 plain and simple, it is, however, very poorly written.

Edit:
Hmm, here's a guy taking Applied Calc. and is unable to correctly solve a 7th Grade problem.
It could be 288...
It could be written out like so;

48
---- x (9+3)
2

When i put it in my calculator I got 2. This is a troll thread people. The fact of the matter is that it could go either way depending on the way you look at it. If the equation was properly written in a Math textbook, this wouldn't cause controversy.
Curse you Internet!

I'm sticking with 2

 

[DwMrDw]

This really is not that hard you guys.
48/2(9+3)= 288 (1)
48/(2(9+3)) = 2 (2)
so 288 is correct and 2 isn't
(1)
48
-- (9+3) =
2

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

48
-- =
2* 12

48
-- = 2
24

Greetings from Holland!!

 

[mps4li3n]

What are you multiplying by the bracket?

The bracket is there to make it clear 1/2 is 0.5....

Both answers are correct, it depends on how you look at it.

Tell that to a math teacher...the answer is 288. The parentheses are not done first because the 2 is not in them. Therefore, you MUST do 48/2 first because you do multiplication and division first from left to right then add/subtract.

Except that the only reason you assume the 2(9+3) is not the subscript is because you're used to representing it like that as that's the way a computer does it... but the slash isn't even the right symbol for division if you ignore that it's used like that by enough people to make it right because the lack of the actual one on keyboards.

 

[bob1052]

the lack of a multiplication sign gives the multiplication higher precedence over the divide operator. this is the ONLY reason the multiplication has higher precedence over divide... none of this PEMDAS BS! divide and multiply have the same priority, its just left to right, except in the case where the multiplication is done here, with at least one of the operands starting with a non digit ( parenthesis or variable) and no multiplication sign between them.

Implied multiplication is still multiplication and does not gain higher precedence.

 

[Atmos Duality]

Factoring and the order of operations leaves me with the following:

48 * 1/2 * (12)

(Commutative Property)
Answer: 288

NOTE: As written, you cannot arbitrarily put 2(9+3) into the denominator. Why? Order of operations (resolve left to right). Parentheses matter.
If it's an attempt at being ambiguous due to formatting, it fails.

 

[mps4li3n]

The correct answer to 48/2(9+3) is 288.
To satisfy the answer of 2 the formula would be (48/(2(9+3)))

I just won a math.

Except you put pointless extra brackets around the whole thing.