On 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!
Forum Index > General Forum |
Ghostcom
Denmark4776 Posts
On April 08 2011 08:11 Usyless wrote: Show nested quote + On April 08 2011 08:09 Ratel wrote: I am in a pretty crappy university, my last math course that i took was a grade 11 uni level in high school and i knew the right answer right away for this question. Not sure why people struggling with this. Your first and last statements may have a common explanans. Thank you! | ||
SaiyAN
United States47 Posts
| ||
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. | ||
MandoRelease
France374 Posts
On April 08 2011 08:04 munchmunch wrote: Show nested quote + On April 08 2011 08:02 Zeke50100 wrote: On April 08 2011 08:01 munchmunch wrote: [ Not due to laziness at all, actually. Granted, it would be incorrect to omit the parentheses in many contexts, but in any context where it can be expected to be unambiguous to the reader, it would be recommended to any mathematical writer to drop the parentheses for aesthetic reasons. Being accustomed to the omission of parentheses doesn't make it right No, but aesthetics can be a good reason. 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. | ||
synapse
China13814 Posts
Though honestly, if I didn't see both options in the poll, I might have gotten 2. | ||
munchmunch
Canada789 Posts
On April 08 2011 08:12 Zeke50100 wrote: Show nested quote + On April 08 2011 08:08 munchmunch wrote: On April 08 2011 08:06 Zeke50100 wrote: On April 08 2011 08:03 Blisse wrote: Oh shit. Division isn't commutative. Good game guys. There is no correct answer in this case. Stop following BEDMAS. It was made up by grade school teachers to help you understand the order of operations. It doesn't work in extreme cases because there is no correct way to interpret the equation. Essentially, 2/3*4 is not the same as (2)(1/3)(4) which it isn't the same as (2/3)(4) which isn't the same as (2)/(3*4). You can't simply convert division into fractional form because the math symbols aren't clear enough. In written form, you interpret the question based on what the symbols show. On one text line, that's impossible to convey without parenthesis. The best example would be 2/3/4. If you did it (2/3)/4, I haven't specified which / is larger. The computer reads it to the best of its ability. It is limited by computer notation. There is no difference between / and a larger / for a computer, which is why it simply reads it front to end after the regular operations. The bigger question is then: Do we treat this as a written, typed or oral question? The problem is that there IS a way, and ONLY one way, to interpret it correctly. If you follow PEMDAS, you will get the right answer, every single time. The problem is that people don't realize that fractions with multiple terms cannot exist without parenthesis when a "/" is used. I decided not to tell you to brush up on your reading comprehension in my last reply to avoid being snarky. But now it is unavoidable: put aside your amazing grade school education and read the thread. 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. | ||
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) | ||
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. | ||
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) >.> | ||
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? | ||
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 | ||
susySquark
United States1692 Posts
| ||
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. | ||
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). | ||
OhYess
Canada41 Posts
On April 08 2011 08:21 MajorityofOne wrote: Show nested quote + 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 Because the division sign means its under the rest as in 48 ---- 2(9+3) | ||
billyX333
United States1360 Posts
On April 08 2011 08:21 Chriamon wrote: Show nested quote + 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? you distribute 48/2 not 2 | ||
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. | ||
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. | ||
N3rV[Green]
United States1935 Posts
This is not up for debate. | ||
| ||
StarCraft: Brood War Dota 2 League of Legends Super Smash Bros Other Games Organizations Other Games StarCraft 2 StarCraft: Brood War
StarCraft 2 • Berry_CruncH232 StarCraft: Brood War• AfreecaTV YouTube • aXEnki • intothetv • Gussbus • Kozan • IndyKCrew • LaughNgamez Trovo • Laughngamez YouTube • Migwel • Poblha League of Legends |
H.4.0.S
WardiTV Korean Royale
Ryung vs DongRaeGu
SHIN vs TBD
Dark vs TBD
Reynor vs TBD
World Team League
OSC
Sparkling Tuna Cup
WardiTV Korean Royale
Cure vs Solar
Bunny vs TBD
Classic vs TBD
Creator vs TBD
World Team League
ESL Open Cup
ESL Open Cup
ESL Open Cup
[ Show More ] Replay Cast
Replay Cast
GSL Code S
Maru vs soO
Cure vs ByuN
|
|