48÷2(9+3)

[cmdterps44]

What does that equal?

People are debating it based on order of operations.

[blue911]

What does that equal?

People are debating it based on order of operations.

Please My Dear Aunt Sally

[cmdterps44]

Please My Dear Aunt Sally

Excuse!?!!?!

[The Chief]

Please My Dear Aunt Sally

Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally.

[Lintyfresh85]

48/2 = 24

24(9 + 3) = (216 + 3)

219?

Keep in mind that I failed Liberal Arts Math twice in college... so if I'm wrong, I really don't care.

[The Chief]

It's the same as:

   48
______
2(9+3)

Which would be 2.

[cmdterps44]

I say its 288...

[mitlen]

I say its 288...

I was going to say 237.

[The Chief]

The real answer is "no one with half a brain would express it that way unless they were purposely trying to generate confusion"

[The Chief]

And for what it's worth, this site agrees with cmd:

http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=48%C3%B72%289%2B3%29

But I still say it's 2.

[MarquisDeSade]

http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=48%C3%B7%282%289%2B3%29%29

Not sure why it's violating the PEMDAS rules.

[cmdterps44]

The real answer is "no one with half a brain would express it that way unless they were purposely trying to generate confusion"

I agree and I am.

[UMDNats]

obligatory

[cmdterps44]

That pictures making me lol in class

[imref]

excel says 288.

[JMUalumni]

Ok, just asked one of my math whiz co workers.  288 is the correct answer based on order of operations.  Multiplication/division AND subtraction/addition are interchangeable in the order of operations.  When there is a conflict between the two, you perform the operations from left to right.

[The Chief]

Ok, just asked one of my math whiz co workers.  288 is the correct answer based on order of operations.  Multiplication/division AND subtraction/addition are interchangeable in the order of operations.  When there is a conflict between the two, you perform the operations from left to right.

Yeah, this occurred to me as well but I just didn't feel like writing it out

I still maintain that nobody would ever use that kind of notation for anything important though.

[MarquisDeSade]

I still maintain that nobody would ever use that kind of notation for anything important though.

If they did they would use the second brackets.

[HalfSmokes]

Yeah, this occurred to me as well but I just didn't feel like writing it out

I still maintain that nobody would ever use that kind of notation for anything important though.

Don't forget republican economic theory/taxation is based on a cocktail napkin- I wouldn't doubt ambiguous notation being used for anything important or otherwise

[JMUalumni]

I still maintain that nobody would ever use that kind of notation for anything important though.

Right, this problem was written incorrectly.  It should have read (48/2)(9+3).

[spidernat]

My answer was 2 but when all is said and done I agree with this.

The real answer is "no one with half a brain would express it that way unless they were purposely trying to generate confusion"

[Lintyfresh85]

Wait, is it 24 x 9 + 24 x 3 or is it 24 x 9 + 3?

[MarquisDeSade]

Don't forget republican economic theory/taxation is based on a cocktail napkin- I wouldn't doubt ambiguous notation being used for anything important or otherwise

Not really sure what you're referring to there but if you're referring to Nash Equilibrium that might be greatest cocktail napkin doodling ever.

[MarquisDeSade]

Wait, is it 24 x 9 + 24 x 3 or is it 24 x 9 + 3?

48÷2(9+3) -> 48/2 * (9+3) -> 24 * 12 -> 288

[imref]

Yeah, this occurred to me as well but I just didn't feel like writing it out

I still maintain that nobody would ever use that kind of notation for anything important though.

congress would if it would reduce the size of the deficit.