Doesn't it successfully illustrate the point that it makes no more sense to solve the multiplication/division equation without moving left to right, any more than it would to solve his addition/subtraction problem without moving left to right?
Just thought I'd point out that the answer 2 in the poll is making a comeback. I guess people that got that weren't trolling after all.
IMO, as I don't know whats right and wrong anymore, I see this differently than the original equation as this one deals with addition and subtraction rather than multiplication and division....which gets me to see what foo82 is saying. It's just an interpretation of the parentheses. QUESTION FOR ALL: Is the parentheses: 1. an order of operations parentheses, in which the answer would be 2 or 2. simply denoting multiplication is to be used, in which the answer would be 288 Replacing the equation with variables isn't going to explain much as parentheses aren't needed with them but are if you are trying to distinguish two numbers. (2x, not needed; 2(4), needed). I think either answer could be correct depending on how you see it. Answering your question teHGlide, I would answer how MiddleMan answered as there is no confusion in that equation with +/-.
Wow! 17 pages... The internet is going to explode! Spoiler http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=48%C3%B72(9%2B3)#sclient=psy&hl=en&q=48%C3%B72(9%2B3)+%3D+%3F%3F%3F&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=384aef4afa8e1652
288. division and multiplication are equal in the order of operations, so you go left to right. 48÷2(9+3) = 48÷2(12) solved left to right: 48÷2(12) = 24(12) = 288 We learned this in middle school, people.
Why are people inserting a '*' into the equation? What is the difference between lets say... 48÷(2)^2 and 48÷2(2) Would you not solve the parentheses first in both cases???
Did you mean "^" or "*"? * is the programming representation of multiplication, so, for example, 3 x 2 = 6 is the same as 3 * 2 = 6. If you meant what is the difference between 48÷(2)*2 and 48÷2(2), then, nothing. I gave an example using Wolfram Alpha, which uses the Mathematica engine, as another example earlier. It forgoes the multiplication symbols altogether and solves it as is : http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=48/2(9+3)
I meant ^ as an exponent. I know what * means but I just wondering why it was inserted in that program. But I think I got it now. In any case, I think the majority is right. I'm going with 288.
No. As worzel gummidge had stated, YOUR equation is 48÷(2(9+3)) which would put all that in the denominator, but that is not the actual equation.
It's really that simple. Everyone who gets something other than 288 should read this. And then read this again. And then read it again. And then stand in the corner and be ashamed.
