48÷2(9+3) =

[jsem]

Except that...

2(9+3) =
(9x2 + 3x2) =
(18+6) =
24

[Jamesman42]

That expression is true. But putting a "48 ÷" before it forces you to read it left to right starting with the 48.

[rumborak]

The answer is 2. What kind of moron would say that there is no definitive "correct answer"? 

And what kind of person comes onto a message board, calls some people a moron, gives an answer to a tricky question and does not back it up?

The kind of person that doesn't feel the need to repeat what several people have already said  

It's a mathematical equation. There is one answer to it.

Tell me, oracle boy, what happened in the sentence "the old lady hit the man with an umbrella"?

rumborak

[ScioPath]

That expression is true. But putting a "48 ÷" before it forces you to read it left to right starting with the 48.

Nope. Since the addition operation was in the parentheses, it must be done before the division.

[Ħ]

That expression is true. But putting a "48 ÷" before it forces you to read it left to right starting with the 48.

Nope. Since the addition operation was in the parentheses, it must be done before the division.

Yes, the parenthetical addition must be done first, but the mulitplication with 2 is not a correct step according to the OoO.

[Jamesman42]

If you simplify the inside first (like you are supposed to), you get 12. So then it is read 48 ÷ 2(12). Division and multiplication are of the same rank, so when that happens, you read it left to right. So 48 ÷ 2 first, which is 24, and THEN multiply by 12, to get 288.

[ScioPath]

In order for a problem to have a an answer, it first must be a problem. And this problem sucks at being a problem.

I guess the problem is that it sucks at being a problem...which is itself a problem, recursively becoming more and more problematic. Fibonacci headache.

[XJDenton]

According to Wolfram Alpha its 288. The main point this example makes however is not to use the divide sign when you can help it.

[bloop]

In order for a problem to have a an answer, it first must be a problem. And this problem sucks at being a problem.

I guess the problem is that it sucks at being a problem...which is itself a problem, recursively becoming more and more problematic. Fibonacci headache.

[robwebster]

I only did maths up to A-Level standard - no university stuff, so I'm no expert - but I was always taught BODMAS. Brackets onto Division, Multiplication, Addition and Subtraction - in that order. The implicit hierarchy.

Which probably means my knowledge of maths is incomplete, seeing as everyone else is saying it's on level pegging with multiplication, but hey.

I do naturally convert it into 48 / 2(9+3) in my head, plus I tend to expand brackets first just to make things nice and easy, so I got 2, too. In spite of the hierarchy.

[tjanuranus]

Obviously 288 wtf?

[kári]

By order of operations, this means divide 48 by 2, and then multiply it by (9+3) which comes to 288. However in most math books and courses it is written wrongly for the sake of clarity. 1/2pi to me looks like 1 divided by 2pi but actually it's one half of pi. The correct notation here would be 1/(2pi).  It's just that sometimes the parentheses left out for reasons of speed or ease or whatever.

[lonestar]

All I got now is a fucking headache, thanks guys.

[jsem]

I get it nao lol.

I automatically jumped to this conclusion:

    48
______
2(9+3)

In which case it's 2. This is the same as 48 ÷ (2(9+3)). But that was not the given though.

[lonestar]

MAKE IT STOP!!!

[Jamesman42]

I get it nao lol.

I automatically jumped to this conclusion:

    48
______
2(9+3)

In which case it's 2. This is the same as 48 ÷ (2(9+3)). But that was not the given though.

Yes, that is the initial conclusion, based on what kari rightfully said. This is why I always use extra parentheses to indicate what I mean when I am writing mathematics, because I want to leave no room for ambiguity.

[ricky]

What they do in Germany a lot is to have the third digit be slightly different:

holy shit. and i thought gas was expensive here.

and in europe, they go by the liter right? which is less than a gallon.

[Crow]

The way it's written in the OP, the problem is as follows:
48/2(9+3)
The first thing that happens is:
9+3 = 12
THEN.
48/2 = 24
And 24 * 12 = 288.

If it was written as such:
__48__
2(9+3)

The answer would be 2.
It is not written this way. The answer is 288.

[Dr. DTVT]

What they do in Germany a lot is to have the third digit be slightly different:

holy shit. and i thought gas was expensive here.

and in europe, they go by the liter right? which is less than a gallon.

But then you have to factor in exchange rate.  But if those are in Euros then its easily more expensive than even expensive American fuel.  And IIRC, gas is about $2-4 (US) more expensive than it is in the US for some reason, maybe because we can produce some of our own gasoline as well.

[ricky]

What they do in Germany a lot is to have the third digit be slightly different:

holy shit. and i thought gas was expensive here.

and in europe, they go by the liter right? which is less than a gallon.

But then you have to factor in exchange rate.  But if those are in Euros then its easily more expensive than even expensive American fuel.  And IIRC, gas is about $2-4 (US) more expensive than it is in the US for some reason, maybe because we can produce some of our own gasoline as well.

I know right, its crazy

but one thing i never understood is that in England (or Great britain, the UK, or whatever the proper term is, im still confused about that) is a part ot the EU. but they don't use the Euro. Why?

[XJDenton]

Because we are a bunch of euroskeptics who will have to be dragged in kicking and screaming.

In seriousness, there are 10 EU states that do not use the euro, so we aren't alone.

[ricky]

Because we are a bunch of euroskeptics who will have to be dragged in kicking and screaming.

In seriousness, there are 10 EU states that do not use the euro, so we aren't alone.

really? i didn't know that.

im kinda confused though, is there a significant reason why?

[XJDenton]

Xenophobia mostly. Britain is stuck in an anti-europe sentiment for the most part.

[hefdaddy42]

I do naturally convert it into 48 / 2(9+3) in my head, plus I tend to expand brackets first just to make things nice and easy, so I got 2, too. In spite of the hierarchy.

This is the way it looks to me, and to me it is obviously 2.  But I was an English major, which means that I don't care.

[ricky]

Xenophobia mostly. Britain is stuck in an anti-europe sentiment for the most part.

wait so it is Britain.

but wait again don't you mean england? im confused.

[bloop]

Great Britain( informally Britain)= England, Scotland, and Wales.
Great Britain is an island.
England is a country that is a part of the island that is Great Britain.

[ricky]

Great Britain( informally Britain)= England, Scotland, and Wales.
Great Britain is an island.
England is a country that is a part of the island that is Great Britain.

What about North Ireland. I'm pretty sure that fits in somewhere.

[Dimitrius]

Great Britain( informally Britain)= England, Scotland, and Wales.
Great Britain is an island.
England is a country that is a part of the island that is Great Britain.

What about North Ireland. I'm pretty sure that fits in somewhere.

It's part of Great Britain.

[ricky]

um, ok. one last question then.


whats the UK?

[bloop]

I don't think Northern Ireland is a part of Great Britain, however it is a part of the UK.

To answer your question, the UK is Great Britain and Northern Ireland. (Hence "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland")

[Adami]

I don't think Northern Ireland is a part of Great Britain, however it is a part of the UK.

To answer your question, the UK is Great Britain and Northern Ireland. (Hence "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland")

Correct, Great Brittan is the major land mass of Brittan, including England Wales and Scotland, a few islands and such. Ireland is separate.

[ricky]

they should just call everything by one name to keep it simple.


and they should use the euro like most other union countries do, since they are part of the EU.

[slycordinator]

The way it's written in the OP, the problem is as follows:
48/2(9+3)
The first thing that happens is:
9+3 = 12
THEN.
48/2 = 24

The whole point of this discussion is that many math texts and mathematicians state that implied multiplication occurs before any other operations and many others disagree. So it's not a given that you divide in the 2nd step.

Another example of this is that one could say x^2y = (x^2)*y or x^(2*y).

[Dimitrius]

Another example of this is that one could say x^2y = (x^2)*y or x^(2*y).

I'm really intrigued to know how that is anything else but x^(2*y).

[ricky]

what's confusing to me isn't the answer to this problem.

its people doing math in their spare time.

jk. kinda.