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PEMDAS simple as that, the MD and AS are interchangable depending one whichever one comes first the answer is really 288 but since the distribution is in there the answer is really 2. I can see how every one can get one or the other. 
48÷2(9+3) = ???
- Thread in 'General' Thread starter Started by n1k3b4ller,
- Start date
- 93
- 10
PEMDAS simple as that, the MD and AS are interchangable depending one whichever one comes first the answer is really 288 but since the distribution is in there the answer is really 2. I can see how every one can get one or the other.
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I don't get why you guys are arguing about this when it's really simple.... it's a given that you're supposed to add 9+3 to make 12 first. What you're actually debating about is whether to divide the quantity by 12 or multiply by 12. if you multiply the quantity, you get 288, if you divide, you get 2. it seems ambiguous because it is written on one line. Also, you don't use distributive property for things inside parentheses that are readily able to be simplified. You'd only distribute if it were... 2(9y+3) for instance otherwise you could rewrite it as 2(2+2+2+2+2+2) and you would get a different answer.
the people who think the answer is 2 and think that the rule of distribution applies imagine the equation looking like this
48
______ = 2
2(9+3)
while the people who think the answer is 288 imagine the equation looking like this
48(9+3)
_______ = 288
2
The correct way to imagine it is the latter because it is written on one line and there is no reasonable indication that the (9+3) should be in the denominator, otherwise it would be written 48/2x[1/(9+3)] or 48/[2(9+3)] to avoid ambiguities like this. The way that it is written in the title of the post, you're supposed to imagine it as the latter. Multiplication and divsion have equal priority after you have simplified whatevers in parentheses. So when it is written on one line and you have equal priority of operations, you just do the equation from left to right. That is what we are taught in middle school.
The answer is 288.
the people who think the answer is 2 and think that the rule of distribution applies imagine the equation looking like this
48
______ = 2
2(9+3)
while the people who think the answer is 288 imagine the equation looking like this
48(9+3)
_______ = 288
2
The correct way to imagine it is the latter because it is written on one line and there is no reasonable indication that the (9+3) should be in the denominator, otherwise it would be written 48/2x[1/(9+3)] or 48/[2(9+3)] to avoid ambiguities like this. The way that it is written in the title of the post, you're supposed to imagine it as the latter. Multiplication and divsion have equal priority after you have simplified whatevers in parentheses. So when it is written on one line and you have equal priority of operations, you just do the equation from left to right. That is what we are taught in middle school.
The answer is 288.
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I don't get why you guys are arguing about this when it's really simple.... it's a given that you're supposed to add 9+3 to make 12 first. What you're actually debating about is whether to divide the quantity by 12 or multiply by 12. if you multiply the quantity, you get 288, if you divide, you get 2. it seems ambiguous because it is written on one line. Also, you don't use distributive property for things inside parentheses that are readily able to be simplified. You'd only distribute if it were... 2(9y+3) for instance otherwise you could rewrite it as 2(2+2+2+2+2+2) and you would get a different answer.
the people who think the answer is 2 and think that the rule of distribution applies imagine the equation looking like this
48
______ = 2
2(9+3)
while the people who think the answer is 288 imagine the equation looking like this
48(9+3)
_______ = 288
2
The correct way to imagine it is the latter because it is written on one line and there is no reasonable indication that the (9+3) should be in the denominator, otherwise it would be written 48/2x[1/(9+3)] or 48/[2(9+3)] to avoid ambiguities like this. The way that it is written in the title of the post, you're supposed to imagine it as the latter. Multiplication and divsion have equal priority after you have simplified whatevers in parentheses. So when it is written on one line and you have equal priority of operations, you just do the equation from left to right. That is what we are taught in middle school.
The answer is 288.
the people who think the answer is 2 and think that the rule of distribution applies imagine the equation looking like this
48
______ = 2
2(9+3)
while the people who think the answer is 288 imagine the equation looking like this
48(9+3)
_______ = 288
2
The correct way to imagine it is the latter because it is written on one line and there is no reasonable indication that the (9+3) should be in the denominator, otherwise it would be written 48/2x[1/(9+3)] or 48/[2(9+3)] to avoid ambiguities like this. The way that it is written in the title of the post, you're supposed to imagine it as the latter. Multiplication and divsion have equal priority after you have simplified whatevers in parentheses. So when it is written on one line and you have equal priority of operations, you just do the equation from left to right. That is what we are taught in middle school.
The answer is 288.
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feel free to enlighten me...as i've seen none.
-waystinthyme
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feel free to enlighten me...as i've seen none.
-waystinthyme
- 12,443
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Can this go 100 pages?
- 12,443
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Can this go 100 pages?
- 6,367
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exactly
answer is 2
edit: cant see how people think 48/2 (9=3) is 24(9+3).... the / is clearly a division sign in this eqution. it would be written as 48 (the nominator) and 24(9+3) is the denominator. thats all the / means
in the end it equals 2
- 6,367
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exactly
answer is 2
edit: cant see how people think 48/2 (9=3) is 24(9+3).... the / is clearly a division sign in this eqution. it would be written as 48 (the nominator) and 24(9+3) is the denominator. thats all the / means
in the end it equals 2
balloonoboy
Banned
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Only if dudes come up with another possible answer.Originally Posted by laker4lifeman
Can this go 100 pages?
balloonoboy
Banned
- 9,784
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Only if dudes come up with another possible answer.Originally Posted by laker4lifeman
Can this go 100 pages?
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not even worth it...you'll come around eventually.
-waystinthyme
-waystinthyme
- 942
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not even worth it...you'll come around eventually.
-waystinthyme
-waystinthyme
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Do the problem backwards with different variables. Only 288 makes sense.
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Do the problem backwards with different variables. Only 288 makes sense.
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/ just means division. it doesn't mean that everything you write after it goes in the denominator. when you write all the terms on one line, unless you clarify with extra parentheses grouping the (9+3) with the 2, you're supposed to assume that it belongs in the numerator.Originally Posted by UPandCOMING32
exactly
answer is 2
edit: cant see how people think 48/2 (9=3) is 24(9+3).... the / is clearly a division sign in this eqution. it would be written as 48 (the nominator) and 24(9+3) is the denominator. thats all the / means
in the end it equals 2
that is why a calculator will give the answer as 288. calculators apply the order of operations correctly. everyone else is overthinking it.
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/ just means division. it doesn't mean that everything you write after it goes in the denominator. when you write all the terms on one line, unless you clarify with extra parentheses grouping the (9+3) with the 2, you're supposed to assume that it belongs in the numerator.Originally Posted by UPandCOMING32
exactly
answer is 2
edit: cant see how people think 48/2 (9=3) is 24(9+3).... the / is clearly a division sign in this eqution. it would be written as 48 (the nominator) and 24(9+3) is the denominator. thats all the / means
in the end it equals 2
that is why a calculator will give the answer as 288. calculators apply the order of operations correctly. everyone else is overthinking it.
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The problem backwards =1/2
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The problem backwards =1/2
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Ran the problem by my dad again, and he explained it. Still says it's 288. I'm about to make a YouTube video of him talking about it
Again, this is coming from someone with a math degree from Northwestern (top 15 university).
But it is a pretty poorly written equation.
Again, this is coming from someone with a math degree from Northwestern (top 15 university).
But it is a pretty poorly written equation.
- 8,065
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Ran the problem by my dad again, and he explained it. Still says it's 288. I'm about to make a YouTube video of him talking about it
Again, this is coming from someone with a math degree from Northwestern (top 15 university).
But it is a pretty poorly written equation.
Again, this is coming from someone with a math degree from Northwestern (top 15 university).
But it is a pretty poorly written equation.
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i don't think it's poorly written, people are just looking at it the wrong way.
unless the there are extra parentheses to group the (9+3) and the 2, the division symbol applies to the 2 and only the 2.
unless the there are extra parentheses to group the (9+3) and the 2, the division symbol applies to the 2 and only the 2.
