EPTOn April 08 2011 08:11 Usyless wrote:
Your first and last statements may have a common explanans.
Your first and last statements may have a common explanans.
Thank you!
A Simple Math Problem? - Page 29
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Ghostcom
Denmark4782 Posts
Thank you! | ||
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SaiyAN
United States47 Posts
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Enervate
United States1769 Posts
I think most people read the division sign as a slash, though, because I haven't actually used the division sign since like middle school. | ||
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MandoRelease
France374 Posts
Not in anything that does not involves advanced mathematics. I certainly agree that you sometime need to lower your accuracy when you write advanced mathematical paper in order to make it understandable. It is not the case for basic math like trigonometry and basically anything put on a non mathematical forum. For these, it's only lazyness because adding parentheses here and there would not make it any less clear, so aesthetics is not always a good reason. | ||
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synapse
China13814 Posts
Though honestly, if I didn't see both options in the poll, I might have gotten 2. | ||
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munchmunch
Canada789 Posts
On April 08 2011 08:12 Zeke50100 wrote: What about it? A discussion of how things are communicated to each other, the conventions people are used to, and other topics to which my post holds complete relevance? That's great. You might want some of that amazing grade-school education, by the way. I'll share some with you, if you really want some. Actually, I think it is my reading comprehension that is suffering. As a reply to Blisse you are perfectly correct, mea culpa. | ||
Whitewing
United States7483 Posts
In general, you always go left to right in order, but, when you post something such as 2(9+3), it can (and usually is) be read as one term: 2*9+2*3 = 24, even if it comes immediately after a division sign. Generally, when it's supposed to be read as separate terms, there is a multiplication symbol used, meaning it should be written as 48/2*(9+3). Nobody has trouble doing the arithmetic, they simply have trouble figuring out exactly what question you meant to ask. | ||
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OhYess
Canada41 Posts
48÷2(x) 2(x) takes priority over 48/2 so you would get 48÷24 Otherwise the division sign would denote 48 ------- 2(9+3) | ||
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garbanzo
United States4046 Posts
On April 08 2011 08:17 SaiyAN wrote: lol, more noobs at math than I'd expect here... Hmm...that's the conclusion you get from reading all 29 pages, eh? On April 08 2011 08:18 Enervate wrote: The answer isn't debatable because of the use of the division sign. If it was a slash, it could be debated, because a horizontal slash divides everything below it, so a vertical slash could arguably be interpreted to divide everything to the right of it. (I still wouldn't interpret it that way, just because my TI89 doesn't, and I'm used to typing in stuff to my TI-89.) I think most people read the division sign as a slash, though, because I haven't actually used the division sign since like middle school. I don't think that's true. Both symbols are exactly equivalent. One is just more archaic. | ||
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MajorityofOne
Canada2506 Posts
Why is 2*(whatever) not 2(whatever)? They're just different notations of the same thing, no? Go easy on me, I've not math experience above the high school level. I don't understand why most people are voting for 1/(2*x) >.> | ||
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Chriamon
United States886 Posts
On April 08 2011 05:34 motbob wrote: Oh shit, I voted 2 and then realized it was 288. This question is hard because it tempts you to group the 2(9+3) together because of the parentheses. But you DO group it together. Wouldn't you distribute the 2 as the first step, then the 18 + 6 would be added together, and then 48/24? | ||
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MajorityofOne
Canada2506 Posts
On April 08 2011 08:20 OhYess wrote: This is probably one of my favourite threads I've seen. I would definitely say it's 2. As I read that as you would get 48÷2(x) 2(x) takes priority over 48/2 so you would get 48÷24 Otherwise the division sign would denote 48 ------- 2(9+3) Why does the later multiplication take precedence over the prior division?!! AHHHHHHH | ||
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susySquark
United States1692 Posts
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YejinYejin
United States1053 Posts
Also, in these two particular situations, I'd refrain from interpreting the terms either way. If someone wrote 1/2x, I'd ask for clarification, or I'd ask for them to use Latex markup, because honestly, even if one of the two is "right," the person who wrote it could easily mean either one. | ||
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garbanzo
United States4046 Posts
On April 08 2011 08:20 MajorityofOne wrote: Woah woah woah Why is 2*(whatever) not 2(whatever)? They're just different notations of the same thing, no? Go easy on me, I've not math experience above the high school level. I don't understand why most people are voting for 1/(2*x) >.> They are the same. The issue is when you have 1/2*(a+b) vs. 1/2(a+b). Common convention can lead you think that 1/2(a+b)=1/(2a+2b). | ||
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OhYess
Canada41 Posts
On April 08 2011 08:21 MajorityofOne wrote: Why does the later multiplication take precedence over the prior division?!! AHHHHHHH Because the division sign means its under the rest as in 48 ---- 2(9+3) | ||
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billyX333
United States1360 Posts
On April 08 2011 08:21 Chriamon wrote: But you DO group it together. Wouldn't you distribute the 2 as the first step, then the 18 + 6 would be added together, and then 48/24? you distribute 48/2 not 2 | ||
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Zeke50100
United States2220 Posts
On April 08 2011 08:20 MajorityofOne wrote: Woah woah woah Why is 2*(whatever) not 2(whatever)? They're just different notations of the same thing, no? Go easy on me, I've not math experience above the high school level. I don't understand why most people are voting for 1/(2*x) >.> 2x is not a single unit. It is exactly identical to 2*x, so yes, you would be right ^_^ EDIT: Whoops, said term at first, which is wrong. | ||
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RoyalCheese
Czech Republic745 Posts
On April 08 2011 08:20 MajorityofOne wrote: Woah woah woah Why is 2*(whatever) not 2(whatever)? They're just different notations of the same thing, no? Go easy on me, I've not math experience above the high school level. I don't understand why most people are voting for 1/(2*x) >.> It is, generally. But somebody (don't remember name now, sorry) was arguing that in science 2x is usually considered to be a "unbreakable" symbol, so to speak where 3/2x would actually mean 3/(2x), which i would agree with. | ||
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N3rV[Green]
United States1935 Posts
This is not up for debate. | ||
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