seems like natural grammer treats the proximity of 2(9+3) more seriously as a module word.

it's not a matter of whether people can do math or not, just people not reading the badly written mathematical formulation in the conventional way.

write it like 48/2*(9+3) and you will see people are better than math than this particular poll indicates.

Cragus

Canada144 Posts

April 07 2011 20:45 GMT

#43

48/2(9+3) = (48) * (1/2) * (9+3) = (48) * (1/2) * (12) = 24 * 12 = 288

I almost always convert division to multiplication by an inverse and subtraction to addition of a negative, it makes situations like this less confusing.

-Ziggy-

Sweden97 Posts

April 07 2011 20:45 GMT

#44

On April 08 2011 05:36 N3rV[Green] wrote:
......I'm speechless....dumbfounded, and concerned about the general population that much more.

it's 288. Division and multiplication are equal in priority so it is read left to right.

48/2*(12)

24*12=288

WTF are people thinking.

Should they feel the same about your writing skills? It's a trick math question and some people will fall for it, calm down.

Munk-E

United States672 Posts

April 07 2011 20:45 GMT

#45

Really? REALLY???
only 54%???
C'mon guys! This is 4th grade stuff!
Multiplication and division are equally important and those two are to be placed on order from left to right!

GypsyBeast

Canada630 Posts

April 07 2011 20:45 GMT

#46

just use BEDMAS is 2 duhhhh

MasterOfChaos

Germany2896 Posts

April 07 2011 20:45 GMT

#47

If there were a multiplication sign in between, then it'd be unambiguously 288. I'd say if the multiplication sign is omitted then multiplication binds stronger than division. So 1/2(x+1) is the same as 1/(2(x+1)) and not (1/2)*(x+1). Just like 1/2x is 1/(2x) and not (1/2)*x.

But that's just a matter of convention. You just define stuff as you need, and as long as it's consistent it doesn't matter. Arguing about conventions is utterly stupid.

dronescout

Iceland246 Posts

April 07 2011 20:45 GMT

#48

People that get 2 are overlooking a simple rule here

Most get it right that the priority is the (9 + 3) = 12 and get this 48/2*12.

There is a rule that allow you to switch the order of the numbers but only if there is only multiplication in it and frankly this is not the case.

So 48/2 comes first and that gives us 24 and then we multiply 24 and 12 and get 288.

Problem solved

WarChimp

Australia943 Posts

April 07 2011 20:46 GMT

#49

It is definitely 288 even after I fucked up and went and wrote down 2. I checked good ole trusty Wolfram|Alpha and here is their result

http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=48÷2(9+3)

raDon

Germany34 Posts

April 07 2011 20:46 GMT

#50

I am a bodybuilder and a teamliquider.

I got 2

*goddamnit, i failed, ok but its a hard day and a late night ^_^

AdrenalGBR

United Kingdom182 Posts

April 07 2011 20:47 GMT

#51

Yeah, BODMAS - Brackets, Order, Division, Multiplication, Addition, Subtraction. The 2 multiplying the bracket has nothing to do with the inside of the bracket itself and is therefore calculated after division.

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

howerpower

United States619 Posts

April 07 2011 20:47 GMT

#52

Your not an idiot for choosing either answer, you are really only an idiot if you think that someone is because of this question or you are the person or phrased the question.

48÷(2(9+3))=?
or
(48÷2)(9+3)=?

oh derp, any confusion is solved and I guess no one is stupid now....

Diks

Belgium1880 Posts

April 07 2011 20:47 GMT

#53

Mathematic is logic, you have to treat the calcul the same way you would treat a sentence. from left to the right. We also know that stuff between parenthesis forms an ensemble.
If you do it right you should find 288.

But if u see the equation like this :
48
_______
2x(9+3)

you will find 2, which would be the right answer if the calcul was this : 48 ÷ (2(9+3))

Hugoboss21

France346 Posts

April 07 2011 20:47 GMT

#54

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

48
--------
24

= 2

Demonace34

United States2493 Posts

April 07 2011 20:47 GMT

#55

Yeah, I treated it bracketed in my head like this 48/(2(9+3) instead of a multiplication sign in there. Oh well, so much for getting an A in College Algebra. Better luck next math problem.

Eggm

United States152 Posts

April 07 2011 20:47 GMT

#56

Its 288... simple order of operations...What is the problem here? Why are people voting 2? I saw some one post that it was written deceivingly? I think its pretty clear cut.. I'm an EE major so I do math constantly, but even in HS I would have figured this out just as easily..

Moody

United States750 Posts

April 07 2011 20:47 GMT

#57

I did it in my head really quickly and got 2... but now I feel kinda silly...

The answer is 288, but the way it is written is really deceiving. It sets the equation up wrong in your head.

theBOOCH

United States832 Posts

April 07 2011 20:48 GMT

#58

I instantaneously did it right the first time... then second guessed myself.

Raiznhell

Canada786 Posts

April 07 2011 20:48 GMT

#59

I'm not sure if everyone here is trolling or not but the answer is obviously 2 lol. 2(9+3) is 24, 48/24 = 2. it's like the easiest question I've seen in ages lol.