re: Bizarre Math Question and Answer breaks the internet - Sorry if already posted

48/2*12
48*(0.5)*(12)
288

48/(2(9+3))=2

48/(2(12))=2

48/(24)=2

2=2


Or

48/(2(9+3))=2

24/(9+3)=2

2=2

Or

48/(2(9+3))

48/(2(12))

4/2=2

2=2



Am I missing something?

Why are people arguing an indisputable fact? The answer is 288. It's not an opinion.

I would think he is using the divide symbol to keep all in one line. That would be cleaner than x/(y(a+b)). People are making a leap they shouldn't unless knowing he meant it that way. If he was doing it that way it is 2. As written it is 288. This should be an example of why math should be written precisely.

PEMDAS
First reduction:
48/2(12)=48/2*12

Mult and division, like add/sub carry equal weight. Therefore process goes left to right if both exist inline.

Therefore Second reduction:

24*12

third reduction:

288

There are 3 levels to PEMDAS.

Level 1 = Parentheses and Exponents
Level 2 = Multiply and Divide
Level 3 = Add and Subtract

If they are on the same level, you then go from left to right and work out which ever comes first

48/2(9+3)
48/2(12)
24(12)
288

Nope that's the right answer

It's obviously 288. Will Hunting already wrote the 2 and is still writing.

If you use order of operations you easily get 2.

Common Core Maths ~:}