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re: Bizarre Math Question and Answer breaks the internet - Sorry if already posted
Posted on 4/15/15 at 8:56 pm to buckeye_vol
Posted on 4/15/15 at 8:56 pm to buckeye_vol
How can someone state in one sentence that math is solved left to right, then literally in the next sentence say that it has nothing to do with the left to right orientation .
Posted on 4/15/15 at 8:58 pm to KG6
quote:Because we aren't debating whether the problem is solved left to right; we are debating whether there is an implied parentheses that would impact those "exceptions" I noted in that same statement.
How can someone state in one sentence that math is solved left to right, then literally in the next sentence say that it has nothing to do with the left to right orientation .
288 is a superior answer because it doesn't require any additional assumptions (i.e., an implied parantheses). It's Occam's Razor.
This post was edited on 4/15/15 at 9:03 pm
Posted on 4/15/15 at 8:59 pm to KosmoCramer
The answer is 288.
Whomever came up with PEMDAS deserves to be kicked in the balls.
And for the people trying to justify their positions by randomly inserting more parenthesis, you're creating a different equation.
Whomever came up with PEMDAS deserves to be kicked in the balls.
And for the people trying to justify their positions by randomly inserting more parenthesis, you're creating a different equation.
This post was edited on 4/15/15 at 9:02 pm
Posted on 4/15/15 at 9:06 pm to buckeye_vol
I can see your argument and how you state there is a superior answer (somewhat). But my stance is there is no such thing as a superior answer in math. There is a right answer (some equations are allowed multiple right answers. Not like this case. More like sqrt(4) can be 2 and -2). This question is written in a way that requires assumptions to be made. Occam's Razor is not a law that is required to solve equations. It is a method. I can see that you can use it to say your answer is better. But I can say that the answer 2 is better because it takes less syllables to say.
I like to argue and I'm on a business trip in a hotel by myself. If you'd be as dead set on the number 2 as you are on 288, I'd be arguing 288
I like to argue and I'm on a business trip in a hotel by myself. If you'd be as dead set on the number 2 as you are on 288, I'd be arguing 288
Posted on 4/15/15 at 9:12 pm to KG6
quote:Well as one who often plays devils advocate--often for good reason--I can appreciate this.
If you'd be as dead set on the number 2 as you are on 288, I'd be arguing 288
This post was edited on 4/15/15 at 9:16 pm
Posted on 4/15/15 at 9:30 pm to DirtyMikeandtheBoys
Multiplication and division are equal in the order therefore you go left to right. The division comes before the multiplication in the problem given. 288
Posted on 4/15/15 at 10:43 pm to KosmoCramer
I see black and blue. Anyone who sees white and gold is retarded.
Posted on 4/15/15 at 11:32 pm to DirtyMikeandtheBoys
Good to see the OT pumping out some new material. 12 pages of refreshing, original thoughts and debate.
Posted on 4/15/15 at 11:47 pm to KosmoCramer
It's fricking black and blue
Posted on 4/16/15 at 12:03 am to Sampson
PEMDAS. this shite fricks people up on this board about once a year. Taken literally the answer is 288. Taken the way they want you to see it (by leaving out the multiplication sign) it's 2.
PEMDAS MEANS NOTHING.
PEMDAS MEANS NOTHING.
Posted on 4/16/15 at 12:29 am to KG6
quote:
The flaw in your logic is that you feel you must perform operations left to right.
I guess we'll have to disagree. Arithmetic is solved left to right when written left to right.
Just as arabic arithmetic is written right to left and solved right to left.
Posted on 4/16/15 at 3:17 am to slackster
quote:
I don't understand how someone can possibly interpret this problem as ambiguous.
48/2(9+3) = 288
The issue is implied multiplication. If it was 48/2x, no one would say this should be solved (48/2)*X even though if we wrote it out by operations it would read 48/2*X. That is why some are arguing that multiplication by juxtaposition takes precedence over PEMDAS.
This post was edited on 4/16/15 at 3:49 am
Posted on 4/16/15 at 3:28 am to DanW1
Reverse Polish notation or nothing at all!
Posted on 4/16/15 at 4:48 am to Dijkstra
How many engineers got 288?
Posted on 4/16/15 at 5:38 am to jeff5891
So I decided to look at this a different way that I don't think I've seen anyone bring up yet. See work below:
Rewriting the problem as an equation, and knowing that the variable should equal 12 (x=9+3=12), 2 is the correct answer. frick this problem
Rewriting the problem as an equation, and knowing that the variable should equal 12 (x=9+3=12), 2 is the correct answer. frick this problem
This post was edited on 4/16/15 at 5:41 am
Posted on 4/16/15 at 5:40 am to jeff5891
quote:
How many engineers got 288?
Not a one worth his salt.
Rather than teaching PEMDAS, math students should be taught to state problems clearly and to recognize ambiguity.
Any rational reading of this 'problem' would assign precedence to the 2(9+3) notation rather than blindly following PEMDAS.
The only time this problem would make any sense is in a discussion of how to clearly write a problem statement to avoid any possibility of misunderstanding.
and that's the troof
Posted on 4/16/15 at 5:43 am to ChineseBandit58
quote:
Any rational reading of this 'problem' would assign precedence to the 2(9+3) notation rather than blindly following PEMDAS.
I don't agree with you here. You can't say the problem is ambiguous and then say only one way (your way) of reading it is rational.
Like I said in my first post in this thread, it can be answered with either 288 or 2 as written because it is poorly written but there will be lots of pages of argument anyway.
Posted on 4/16/15 at 5:48 am to Jcorye1
quote:
And for the people trying to justify their positions by randomly inserting more parenthesis, you're creating a different equation.
I believe the equation is crafted poorly to begin with. If you clearly mean the sequential order then add the * after the 2 and everybody lives. If you clearly mean left side, then right side, then use the / and everybody lives.
This is very vague and an argument can be made for either result. Consistency of rules breaks down when things aren't done consistently. It's like bad grammar, but for math in this case. That inserts vagueness that is subject to interpretation.
ETA: I'm basically agreeing with LNCHBOX here.
This post was edited on 4/16/15 at 5:49 am
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