27 replies to this topic

[Hobbesy]

Gentlemen, the world is locked in crisis, as some of you may have recently noticed. There has been much debate, argument, and even rioting over this important matter, and the lives of thousands, if not millions are at stake. What is this question, you may ask? A horribly, deceptively simple one, and no one has reached a consensus on what the answer may be. The task lies to us, Fallout Studios, to save the world.

Can we reach an agreement?!

Think carefully, and try to reach your answers. I suggest using PEMDAS to find the answer, or maybe the nearest TI-84 or N-Spire calculator. If you don't, I'll devour your soul, twice if you don't post your answer.

I'll leave you all with some soothing Firelake to help you while you make your decisions.



(Only weirdos and pinko commies like Alias will pick 1)

Edited by Hobbesy, 29 April 2011 - 01:24.

[NergiZed]

Not sure how various additions and multiplications of numbers larger or equal to one can equal one.

Regardless, I picked 1 anyways.

Sure, '9' is the right anwswer, but '1' is better. (Don't you like being #1?)

Edit: apparently, I'm compltetly blind, can't see the division sign.

In other news, why the hell are people still using that? It's called fractions.

Also: Wolfram Alpha sayas:
http://www.wolframal...%B72%281%2B2%29

Edited by NergiZed, 29 April 2011 - 01:26.

[Hobbesy]

Probably because you're a heretic.

[NergiZed]

Oh, I'm EXTRA heretical.

Edited by NergiZed, 29 April 2011 - 01:27.

[Hobbesy]

You dirty, dirty (yet at the same time lovable) heretic!

[Zeke]

6÷2(1+2)

6÷2(3)

6÷6

1

Do I win now?

[deltaepsilon]

I learnt this thing called BODMAS back in primary school... the B in stands for Brackets first. I actually thought this question defied that rule, but I don't think it does.

[Camille]

brackets always comes first, period. division and multiplication are on the same tier, it's simply a matter of what comes first in line, hence, the answer is 9.

why does this debate keep coming up BTW? i much prefer the toilet paper pulling direction matter.

[deltaepsilon]

Wouldn't it be 1 if it was brackets first?

And because there's a division sign in between... you'd treat the 2(1+2) as a single term. (I think)

[Slightly Wonky Robob]

deltaepsilon, on 29 Apr 2011, 8:32, said:

Wouldn't it be 1 if it was brackets first?

And because there's a division sign in between... you'd treat the 2(1+2) as a single term. (I think)

No...

6÷2(1+2) = 6÷2×(1+2)
6÷2×3
3×3
9

Edited by Bob, 29 April 2011 - 07:53.

[Destiny]

3 ( 3 ) = 33

[deltaepsilon]

Bob, on 29 Apr 2011, 17:51, said:

deltaepsilon, on 29 Apr 2011, 8:32, said:

Wouldn't it be 1 if it was brackets first?

And because there's a division sign in between... you'd treat the 2(1+2) as a single term. (I think)

No...

6÷2(1+2) = 6÷2×(1+2)
6÷2×3
3×3
9

Oh yeah, division before multiplication...

[n5p29]

⑨ is teh strongest!

as student of mathematics major, 2(1+2) is different with 2×(1+2).
type it as 2(1+2) to prioritize the 2 outside the bracket first (like when the 2 is a value of a variable, not a constant). it acts as the part of the parenthese.
single line equations are sometimes ambiguous. if the writer want the 6÷2 prioritized, he/she should type 6÷2×(1+2) instead.

so 1 is the correct solution.

Edited by n5p29, 29 April 2011 - 13:08.

[Slightly Wonky Robob]

n5p29, on 29 Apr 2011, 14:03, said:

2(1+2) is different with 2×(1+2)

Since when? D:

I certainly never learnt that in school... D:

[Destiny]

Bob, on 29 Apr 2011, 21:14, said:

n5p29, on 29 Apr 2011, 14:03, said:

2(1+2) is different with 2×(1+2)

Since when? D:

I certainly never learnt that in school... D:

2(1+2) equates to 2(3).




...and it probably goes like 2+3 after that.

Oops maths fail

Edited by Destiny, 29 April 2011 - 13:26.

[Kaido]

[n5p29]

Bob, on 29 Apr 2011, 20:14, said:

n5p29, on 29 Apr 2011, 14:03, said:

2(1+2) is different with 2×(1+2)

Since when? D:

I certainly never learnt that in school... D:

let's modify the question a bit:

6÷a(1+2) when a=2
(this still legit because when you put the a=2 it become 6÷2(1+2) like in the original question)

6÷a(1+2) = 6÷3a

now return the a value to 2, we get:

6÷6 = 1



that's why I said single line equations are sometimes ambiguous.
type 6÷2×(1+2) if you want the 6÷2 prioritized.
type 6÷2(1+2) to prioritize the 2(1+2).

Edited by n5p29, 29 April 2011 - 13:37.

[Slightly Wonky Robob]

Ah, I see where you're coming from now.

[Zeke]

6÷2(1+2) = 1

(6÷2)(1+2) = 9

even I know that, and I fail at math

[Golan]

n5p29, on 29 Apr 2011, 13:35, said:

Bob, on 29 Apr 2011, 20:14, said:

n5p29, on 29 Apr 2011, 14:03, said:

2(1+2) is different with 2×(1+2)

Since when? D:

I certainly never learnt that in school... D:

let's modify the question a bit:

6÷a(1+2) when a=2
(this still legit because when you put the a=2 it become 6÷2(1+2) like in the original question)

6÷a(1+2) = 6÷3a

now return the a value to 2, we get:

6÷6 = 1



that's why I said single line equations are sometimes ambiguous.
type 6÷2×(1+2) if you want the 6÷2 prioritized.
type 6÷2(1+2) to prioritize the 2(1+2).

A variable is to be treated like a number. a(1+2) is still a·(1+2), not (a·(1+2)).

Anyways, all elementary operators apply only to the following element and the entire term preceding it. An element is either a number, variable etc. or a block denoted by brackets. The operator for multiplication can be omitted but still implicitly exists then. Thus, the bracket term (1+2) is a new element to which only the multiplication applies.
a÷b(c+d)=a÷b·(c+d)
6÷2(1+2)=6÷2·(1+2)=3··(1+2)=3·3=9

In general, it is advantageous (and correct) to concentrate the derived operations (- and ÷) into the base operations (+ and ·).
a-b=a+(-b)
a÷b=a·b⁻¹=ab⁻¹
6÷2(1+2)=6·2⁻¹·(1+2)

Edited by Golan, 30 April 2011 - 06:27.

[NergiZed]

That explains everything, and another reason why the division sign should never be used.

[BeefJeRKy]

Most computers operate right to left btw so the multiplication of (1+2) and 2 occurs before the division of 6 by that cluster. In any case, we all know that the division sign is outdated as is the multiply sign (looks too much like an x anyway).

[Chyros]

I never divide anyway. I multiply by the opposite which is much easier and more convenient.

[BeefJeRKy]

/thread

[ultra1437]

google says the answer is 9, according to the way it's typed (copy/pasted)

the answer i came up with was 1.

the first 2 in the equation was the coefficient of the sum in the parenthesis (brackets) [ 2(1+2) ] is really two steps in one, you do what's inside the brackets, then multiply the sum by the coefficient, THEN you can divide 6 by it.

(6 / 2(1+2) = 1.)
Alternately, the coefficient could be spread through the bracketed sum there before anything else is done.
6 / (2+4) = 1

P.S. i just had debate class with my clan about this problem, they initially said it was 9, then i explained my reasoning to them (nearly the same wording as here), and they came out with 1.