Solve 48

[Hardcore Til I Die]

You disappoint me Callum, I've always liked you, but now you're clearly wrong :p Juxtaposition implies that you execute 2(12) before you do 48/2 :p

Oh well, I'm never gonna get this explained :p

There is no rule that says multiplication by juxtaposition is to be evaluated before other division/multiplication.

For 2(9+3) to be evaluated rather than 48/2, you would need to wrap the 2(9+3) in brackets: 48/(2(9+3))

[Calum Veteran]

You disappoint me Callum, I've always liked you, but now you're clearly wrong :p Juxtaposition implies that you execute 2(12) before you do 48/2 :p

Oh well, I'm never gonna get this explained :p

If I find out for sure I'm wrong, I'll certainly admit it :p But right now I'm confident I'm right haha. I'll just watch this thread closely then and await other replies :D

[Ambroos]

There is no rule that says multiplication by juxtaposition is to be evaluated before other division/multiplication.

There is no rule that says something about evaluating stuff from left to right either. It's just a convention. The evaluation of multiplication by juxtaposition before other division/multiplication is a convention too. Much less known because in general you don't need it (math should be clear), but it's still just as much a convention as left to right.

[Hardcore Til I Die]

There is no rule that says something about evaluating stuff from left to right either. It's just a convention. The evaluation of multiplication by juxtaposition before other division/multiplication is a convention too. Much less known because in general you don't need it (math should be clear), but it's still just as much a convention as left to right.

Bodmas/pemdas/pedmas/bidmas is taught in schools but I have never ever heard of the convention you're talking about. When is that taught?

Also, seems to me like if it was indeed a convention then it would be integrated into the bodmas rule.

[lamminium]

Still going strong. rofl

Guys, download Mathematica (eval version, a bit huge) or just use their simple online calculator, type the equation in and tell me what you get. Mathematica is the only computer package, in my knowledge, that accepts implicit multiplication.

On the other hand, many algebra systems do not accept implicit multiplication because of precisely what this thread has been showing. Please stop inventing rules and follow the right ones.

[Soulsiphon]

I thought all of this was settled yesterday when Obama produced a birth certificate?? :whistle:

[DPyro]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_operations

In mathematics and computer programming, the order of operations is a rule used to clarify unambiguously which procedures should be performed first in a given mathematical expression. For example, in mathematics and most computer languages multiplication is done before addition; in the expression 2 + 3 ? 4, the algebraic answer is 14. Brackets, which have their own rules, may be used to avoid confusion, thus the above expression may also be rendered 2 + (3 ? 4).

If the equation were 48?(2(9+3)) it would = 2. The fact it doesn't means you don't multiple (2x9+2x3), it's simply (9+3) and you continue the equation from left to right. Enough with the mind gymnastics to somehow = 2, it's a simple 4th grade math equation.

[Jose_49]

It is 288 because Google says it:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&biw=1674&bih=815&q=48%2F2%289%2B3%29&aq=f&aqi=h1&aql=&oq=

[Zain Adeel]

wow/// is this topic still going?? for real guys??

28 pages over 2 or 288

[theclueless]

288?

[azure.sapphire]

So it basically all comes down to if it is:

(48/2)(9+3) OR (48)/(2(9+3))

http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=48%2F2%289%2B3%29

http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=%2848%29%2F%282%289%2B3%29%29 ... how most people would read it.

Google and Wolfram|Alpha give 288, but most people are going to solve this as 2. It is not a conventional way of writing this type of problem, though that is the idea behind it. It seems to have spread as a Meme and they've got dozens of videos on YouTube.

I like the Hitler parody the best:

[giantpotato]

You know that episode of the Simpsons where Frank Grimes freaks out at homer's incompetance? That how I feel about people saying the answer is 2.

[Hardcore Til I Die]

So it basically all comes down to if it is:

(48/2)(9+3) OR (48)/(2(9+3))

http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=48%2F2%289%2B3%29

http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=%2848%29%2F%282%289%2B3%29%29 ... how most people would read it.

Google and Wolfram|Alpha give 288, but most people are going to solve this as 2. It is not a conventional way of writing this type of problem, though that is the idea behind it. It seems to have spread as a Meme and they've got dozens of videos on YouTube.

I like the Hitler parody the best:

Most people will solve it as 288 based on the BODMAS rule and the fact that it is the only correct answer. :)

[Bengal34]

So it basically all comes down to if it is:

(48/2)(9+3) OR (48)/(2(9+3))

http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=48%2F2%289%2B3%29

http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=%2848%29%2F%282%289%2B3%29%29 ... how most people would read it.

Google and Wolfram|Alpha give 288, but most people are going to solve this as 2. It is not a conventional way of writing this type of problem, though that is the idea behind it. It seems to have spread as a Meme and they've got dozens of videos on YouTube.

I like the Hitler parody the best:

I can see where people are messing this up. They mentally want to put everything to the right of the division symbol as the denominator and everything to the left as the numerator. However, that it not what the problem is actually saying. I will concur with some fellow posters here that the problem, as writtin, is fairly ambiguous and rather "improper" since it seems to be purposely written in a way that would confuse people.

Thanks to the commutative property of multiplication

48/2(9+3) = 48(9+3)/2 = (9+3) * 48 / 2 = (1/2) * 48 * (9+3) = 288

If you want to use the distributive property then you must either distribute the 48 into (9+3) or "1/2" into (9+3). Why would you use a half instead of two? Because the division symbol before the two in the problem signifies that the two is in the denominator and the assumed multiplication of the parens signifies multiplication. The assumed multiplication would put the "(9+3)" in the numerator.

48 divided by 2 times "(9+3)" equals 288

Write it on a peice of paper just as you would say it. "48" you would write the number 48. Then "divided by two" so then you would draw your line and put "two" in the denominator. Then we "multiply by (9+3)". You would write your multiplication symbole and then the parens.

Word of advice:

If you use multiple methods to solve a problem and you are getting two distinct answers then that should be a flag that you are doing something wrong somewhere.

[slinky333]

No it is not

48?2(9+3)

means

48 divided by 2 times the answer of 9+3 - this is standard math procedure, there is no misinterpretation of this this is the way that all math flows.

Actually that English sentence can be easily misinterpreted as, like the math problem, it is poorly written. To correctly formulate the problem in English you would need to use a comma to give a precise meaning (just as the math formula needs another set of parenthesis to be clear in it's meaning).

In the sentence, if you wanted the answer to be 2 you would write:

"48, divided by 2 times the answer of 9 + 3"

If you want the answer to be 288 then it would be:

"48 divided by 2, times the answer of 9 + 3"

[joint]

Ok im going to end this now since i was one of the biggest defenders of my answer 2. My step brother called me back after talking with some of his accountant friends and has informed me that the correct answer is indeed 288.

Its simple 48/2=24*12=288 i do apologize to everybody i may have insulted because i thought i was right. 288 is right, 2 is wrong, and i was wrong. I do feel bad about acting like i knew everybody was wrong and i was right.

So i hope this is good for everybody. I was wrong, 288 was right. I apologize for acting like i knew it all. I do have 288 as the correct answer verified by professionals in the industry. Thanks again.

Soon i will come into other forums like i know everything :) we will all turn out to be good friends. Once again, sorry if i offended anybody because i thought i knew it all. You who said 288 was right, were right. 2 is not right.

Joint

Edited April 28, 2011 by SHoTTa35
Converted all caps to sentence caps.

[DootDootMan]

^ Then why post in all caps? :no:

[joint]

^ Then why post in all caps? :no:

WHAT? SPEAK UP SON... I CAN'T HEAR YOU

[Roger H. Veteran]

Holy crap, lol.. this is still going?

OK now people... it's been a slice. :D