Division is not associative (changing the brackets do matter), for example: (12/6)/2 = 1 but 12/(6/2) = 4 Unlike multiplication (and addition) (12*6)*2 = 144 12*(6*2) = 144 Imagine this: 2-3+5 = ? You DO NOT do 2-(3+5) = -6 You do: (2-3)+5 = 4 The sign in front of the number matters. I fell into the trap the first time, but now that I think it through, it's clear. Imagine it as a fraction. (I hope this works) The left one is represented by 48÷2x(9+3) = 288 The right one is represented by 48÷2÷(9+3) = 2 See? So the answer is 288. *note I'm just a high school student, so feel free to ignore me.
^^^^^^^^^^^ YES. brantonli24 got it That's the clearest explanation possible: you get the answer 2 by thinking of it as: 48÷2÷(9+3) = 2 which is not what the question asks since there is no second division sign. It is instead multiplication
Agree with you here. I have suggested a bad example. [Edit] I knew the trap as I have said earlier. What I was trying to explain was that I (and perhaps the other who got the answer 2 as well) was accustomed to look into values within a parenthesis as a "package deal" (thank you H-townhero's link for the buzz word), so (9+3) as (a), also, a value placed immediate left of the "package deal" as the "coefficient", i.e. the multiplier "2" here. As a result, 2(9+3) was conveniently denoted as 2(a) hence 48÷2(a)=48÷2a. I was advised or directed to links with explanations of "order of operations" and I am grateful of that but all of the samples within were clearly illustrated with the multiply sign, i.e. an "X" or "*". I have no problem 48÷2x(9+3)=288, this is simple arithmetic and no argument at all. But the original formula was 48÷2(9+3) and team-288 here automatically assumed 48÷2x(9+3), I'm sorry but so far I was not enlightened any mathematical fundamental or rules where team-288's conversion would apply. [Edit Edit] Okay, I think I see the flaw in my explanation above. I mean 48÷2(a)<>48÷2a but=24(a). I am convinced it should be 288.
Hopefully when I wake up tommorow this place will have a higher percentage choosing the right answer (288) than grasscity.com
Indeed, grammar nazi feel.. I too go for parenthesis first because of integrals/derivatives but the fact of the matter is ambiguity in equations like this are possible, and to solve ambiguity they go from left to right. I don't think I've seen a poorly written equation like this in any of my calculus books though, they always use plenty of brackets. (either that or my memory is horrible!)
So the intelligence of the average clutchfan seems to be higher than that of the average bodybuilder or pothead. Barely. First time I hear any "multiplication before division" or "addition before subtraction" BS. Left to right, it's as simple as that.
Wow I can't believe there's actually 20 pages on this. When I first saw it, I thought whats there to even argue, but wow.
I got 288, and was like WTF with people choosing 2, so went over to wolfram (who made mathematica program btw)...
The two is out side of parenthesis. Solve everything in parenthesis and you get 48/2*12 which you solve left to right and get you 288.
lol wow ok people its very simple 48/2(9+3) first parentheses (9+3)=12 Your parentheses is gone now so it becomes multiplication 48/2*12 now you multiply or divide from left to right whichever comes first 48/2=24 now 24*12=288
a lot of posters have been knocked down a notch with some of their replies in this thread. i wee for the future. Spoiler and the past for some of the older posters.
Everyone just needs to agree that: 48÷2(9+3) = 48÷2*(9+3) 48÷2*(12) Why does 12 need parentheses??? IT DOESN'T, it's not any more special than 48 or 2.
I think it did, in order to draw people's attention to it and away from the ÷. So your first instinct would be to do the bracket, and then you see the 2 and multiply it, and then have 48 divide it. That may well be one of the reasons why it has managed to fool so many people.
I did quant in uni answer is 288. The rest of you. It's not that a big deal you got it wrong The equation is not vague at all but sometimes maths is just like that , it confuses people
