6÷2(1+2)=

[fire_of_avalon]

?

I saw this on Facebook and how it divided people. And i like to see everyone freak out over math problems here.

[I Don't Need A Name]

It's 9 or 1. All depends on whether your 6/2 is a fraction before the bracket, or whether it's 6 divided by 2(2+1)

[Jiro]

Unless it is specified that it is 6 all over 2(1+2) I think we are safe to assume the answer is 9.

I saw it on facebook and instantly accepted that 100% of the people who said 1 were idiots. Perhaps a bit harsh, in hindsight.

EDIT: I asked my nerdy maths friend that other infamous maths question we have around here. However that was almost immediately preceding me smashing my face into the ground so I don't remember her answer. I assume it was infuriating? :confused:

[Dignified Pauper]

The way the problem is written is stupid. If written correctly, it should appear 6/2 * (2 + 1) to make it clear. The way it is written 6/2(2+1) almost makes it seem as if it should be

6
-----
2(2+1)

It's easy to understand those idiots.

[o_O]

It's 9, because 6/2 is a coefficient of (1+2), in the same way it would be if the equation read 6(1+2)/2. You have to treat the brackets as a single term, BEDMAS or otherwise.

6 / 2(1 + 2) = 6 / 2 * (1 + 2)
= 6 / 2 * (3)
= 3 * 3
= 9

To get an answer of one is to treat both 2s as part of the brackets.

So ner. :p

[Bunny]

To be fair, the way it is written on Facebook it uses the divided by sign that is, to my knowledge, impossible to make on the keyboard.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/Division_Sign(a).png/120px-Division_Sign(a).png instead of 6/2(1+2).

[Madame Adequate]

It's 9, nothing to see here, move along people.

[qwertysaur]

9

PEMDAS is always done left to right. Q.E.D.

To be one is would have to be written as 6/(2(1+2)) :p

[Goldenboko]

No math class that actually matters would ask that question. Any division that can be misunderstood should be done as a fraction. Period.

[Yar]

No math class that actually matters would ask that question. Any division that can be misunderstood should be done as a fraction. Period.

Ya basically. The division sign is too ambiguous. And if 6/2 is the coefficient why isn't it (6/2)? [I really don't know, I'm bad at math and I'm asking. :p]

But I have a ?.

Wouldn't 2(1+2) be the same as (2+4)? All I did was put the 2 into the parentheses. Unless of course 6/2 really is the coefficient. So then it could be solved when re written ((6/2)+(12/2)) :p Screw your PEDMAS

[The Summoner of Leviathan]

It is was just 2(1+2), then yes it would be the same as (2+4) but the (1+2) is multiplied by the 6/2 so in the end it would be (3+6), which is 9.

Also, BEDMAS > PEMDAS.

[NorthernChaosGod]

I think the whole point of these stupid fucking questions is that it's arguable which one is "correct".

I've been seeing this for a week and it's pissing me off.

[qwertysaur]

To be fair, the way it is written on Facebook it uses the divided by sign that is, to my knowledge, impossible to make on the keyboard.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/Division_Sign(a).png/120px-Division_Sign(a).png instead of 6/2(1+2).

÷ Is Alt and 246 on the numberpad for windows. :p



No math class that actually matters would ask that question. Any division that can be misunderstood should be done as a fraction. Period.

Ya basically. The division sign is too ambiguous. And if 6/2 is the coefficient why isn't it (6/2)? [I really don't know, I'm bad at math and I'm asking. :p]

But I have a ?.

Wouldn't 2(1+2) be the same as (2+4)? All I did was put the 2 into the parentheses. Unless of course 6/2 really is the coefficient. So then it could be solved when re written ((6/2)+(12/2)) :p Screw your PEDMAS
PEMDAS works because you must go from right to left. The Distributive Property is just a form of Multiplication, and you always go from left to right. In this example 6/2 is the coefficient. But before applying the distributive property it's best to see if you can combine like terms first, as well as simplify. You are just using a more roundabout way to simplify. :p It's like going at 2+2 by saying that it's really 2 + bi - (-2 + bi) where b is any real number. Making the problem more complicated than it really needs to be.

You could say it's really 6(0.5 + 1) Note: I distributed the 1/2 and wrote all fractions as decimals. :p

What it all boils down to is division is really a form of multiplication, just like all subtraction is a form of addition. Also the fact that Arithmetic is very very easy. :p

Edit:


It is was just 2(1+2), then yes it would be the same as (2+4) but the (1+2) is multiplied by the 6/2 so in the end it would be (3+6), which is 9.

Also, BEDMAS > PEMDAS.
Parentheses are a type of Brackets. Also Please Excuse My dear Aunt Sally, :bigsmile:


I think the whole point of these stupid smurfing questions is that it's arguable which one is "correct".

I've been seeing this for a week and it's pissing me off.
9 is the only correct answer. (assuming base 9 or higher of course :p)

[Raistlin]

I read something a couple of weeks ago (which I wish I could find again) where a number of people in academia are stating that multiplying a bracket to another number has priority over everything else. Which leads to the ridiculous conclusion that 2(1+2) is different from 2 * (1+2), despite the fact that no one has written like that in the history of ever. The article also conceded that all calculators and computer programs work differently.

It is 9.

[NorthernChaosGod]

I read something a couple of weeks ago (which I wish I could find again) where a number of people in academia are stating that multiplying a bracket to another number has priority over everything else.

I actually read something like this when I was arguing with my friend over these questions. Multiple sources state different things.


The article also conceded that all calculators and computer programs work differently.
We also found this one out when our calculators came up with different answers.

[Bunny]

To be fair, the way it is written on Facebook it uses the divided by sign that is, to my knowledge, impossible to make on the keyboard.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/Division_Sign(a).png/120px-Division_Sign(a).png instead of 6/2(1+2).

÷ Is Alt and 246 on the numberpad for windows. :p=

Foiled again.

[qwertysaur]

I find it laughable that you felt a need to use a calculator on this. :p People are making this far more complicated than it is. For some reason people see math and think it must all be Multivariable Calulus or something.

Around the 6/2 there is an invisible set of parentheses. It comes with the fact that it is a fraction.

Look at the problem written using the ÷ symbol, rewriting it as 6÷2(1+2). Now lets not follow proper PEMDAS to solve it. (You would first add the 1+2, then divide the 6÷2, then multiply the resulting 3*3) If you feel incomplete without them you can still write it as (6÷2)(1+2)

We can distribute the 2. But when we use the distributive property we must also distribute the sign. Usually this is where people make a mistake because they forget to do this because situation where you need to do this are very rare and usually avoidable. So 6÷2(1+2) becomes 6÷1 + 6÷2. From here we get to 6 + 3 (To Divide before Adding is an undisputed rule :p) which is 9.

[NorthernChaosGod]

I find it laughable that you felt a need to use a calculator on this. :p People are making this far more complicated than it is. For some reason people see math and think it must all be Multivariable Calulus or something.

If you're talking to me, my friend pulled his out for "proof" and then I went to make sure he didn't fuck with the input to get his desired answer.

[Goldenboko]

No math class that actually matters would ask that question. Any division that can be misunderstood should be done as a fraction. Period.

Ya basically. The division sign is too ambiguous. And if 6/2 is the coefficient why isn't it (6/2)? [I really don't know, I'm bad at math and I'm asking. :p]

But I have a ?.

Wouldn't 2(1+2) be the same as (2+4)? All I did was put the 2 into the parentheses. Unless of course 6/2 really is the coefficient. So then it could be solved when re written ((6/2)+(12/2)) :p Screw your PEDMAS
PEMDAS works because you must go from right to left. The Distributive Property is just a form of Multiplication, and you always go from left to right. In this example 6/2 is the coefficient. But before applying the distributive property it's best to see if you can combine like terms first, as well as simplify. You are just using a more roundabout way to simplify. :p It's like going at 2+2 by saying that it's really 2 + bi - (-2 + bi) where b is any real number. Making the problem more complicated than it really needs to be.

You could say it's really 6(0.5 + 1) Note: I distributed the 1/2 and wrote all fractions as decimals. :p

What it all boils down to is division is really a form of multiplication, just like all subtraction is a form of addition. Also the fact that Arithmetic is very very easy. :p



Where all this is true, application of PEMDAS is a menial task that when doing things like triple integrals, I don't have time to give a fuck about. Which is why I liek me them fractions.

[qwertysaur]

No math class that actually matters would ask that question. Any division that can be misunderstood should be done as a fraction. Period.

Ya basically. The division sign is too ambiguous. And if 6/2 is the coefficient why isn't it (6/2)? [I really don't know, I'm bad at math and I'm asking. :p]

But I have a ?.

Wouldn't 2(1+2) be the same as (2+4)? All I did was put the 2 into the parentheses. Unless of course 6/2 really is the coefficient. So then it could be solved when re written ((6/2)+(12/2)) :p Screw your PEDMAS
PEMDAS works because you must go from right to left. The Distributive Property is just a form of Multiplication, and you always go from left to right. In this example 6/2 is the coefficient. But before applying the distributive property it's best to see if you can combine like terms first, as well as simplify. You are just using a more roundabout way to simplify. :p It's like going at 2+2 by saying that it's really 2 + bi - (-2 + bi) where b is any real number. Making the problem more complicated than it really needs to be.

You could say it's really 6(0.5 + 1) Note: I distributed the 1/2 and wrote all fractions as decimals. :p

What it all boils down to is division is really a form of multiplication, just like all subtraction is a form of addition. Also the fact that Arithmetic is very very easy. :p



Where all this is true, application of PEMDAS is a menial task that when doing things like triple integrals, I don't have time to give a fuck about. Which is why I liek me them fractions.
You say that like Triple Integrals are difficult. :p

Also I don't think about PEMDAS either. I don't think about breathing or how to walk either. :p

[Goldenboko]

Unfortunately I slept through Algebra One.

[Roogle]

9

PEMDAS is always done left to right. Q.E.D.

To be one is would have to be written as 6/(2(1+2)) :p

I saw this math problem come up a few days ago and it left me a little unsettled as I cannot recall being taught that order of operations has different levels that need to be done on a left to right basis. Instead, I recall the order of operations being an absolute order that needed to be adhered to at all times.

I learned about the left to right logic and figured that it was an easy math problem that was written in a slightly ambiguous way to make people more conscious of this issue, probably.

[Shlup]

The one she saw on Facebook was 6÷2(1+2). No potential fraction, less confusing. No real excuse for people to be answering 1.

My cousin got in an argument with some girl about this yesterday. I said he was right and she implied I was either a liar or stupid (I said I was a math teacher and she said "I can claim math teacher" and "I've had a lot of stupid teachers"), and then called us rude when she figured out she really was wrong. And then she deleted all of her comments before I had a chance to screencap them for Failbook. Damn.

Anyway, it's 9.

To anyone that's unclear, multiplication/division and addition/subtraction are inverse operations, and therefore the order of them is interchangable. PEDMSA is just as valid as PEMDAS.

So you do what's in the parenthesis, which simplifies the problem to 6÷2(3). The 2(3) is multiplication. It's expressed with a parenthesis, but it is still just multiplication.

That said, you do the remainder of the problem left-to-right: six, divided by two, and then times three.


Unfortunately I slept through Algebra One.

This is fifth grade math. Maybe fourth.

[Peegee]

xD yes Pikachu but I do it like the first example. but you do parenthesis first
6 / 2(3) = 3(3) = 9
6/2(3) = 6/6 = 1

So I am right. the answer is 9

[Rocket Edge]

9.

[Rantz]

The answer is 7. Duh

[Hollycat]

1. nuff said

[Jiro]

My australian school taught me BOMDAS and I just like saying it. BOMDAS. :bou::bou::bou::bou: yeah bitches.

[XxSephirothxX]

I tried to work it out and ended up with 6÷2(1+2)= foa. WHAT DOES IT MEAN

[blackmage_nuke]

Sorry guys I gotta say 1. It's the way my calculator thinks and it's the way I think. If it were 6:2 * (2+1) on the otherhand I'd say 9.

Because if the question was

6:2a
where a = 2 + 1

I would take that as 6/(2a) rather than (6/2)a

Now that i think about it

I DONT KNOW

Maybe its confusing to me because 2(2+1) looks like a function called 2 with input parameter 2 + 1

In fact screw it nothing says this is a math question and not a computer science question, for all i know it's terribly written pseudocode where someone decided to use 2 as a function name

So there is no answer unless someone gives me the subroutine for 2(float x) and if the subroutine for 2 was

return (x*2);

then my answer would be 1.

[qwertysaur]

I tried to work it out and ended up with 6÷2(1+2)= foa. WHAT DOES IT MEAN
Math is badass. foa is badass. So math is foa?

What does the O signify Jiro? Over?

[Bunny]

Brackets Of Multiplication Division Addition Subtraction

[Shlup]

1. nuff said

You're still in high school. DO MATH RIGHT.

[Aerith's Knight]

It's 9. In case of: x / y * z, where you have equal importance, you go from left to right.

[Jiro]

It can be Over or Of, I think Of makes more sense because (Powers) Of y'know?

I just saw one of my friends make his status the equation. One girl got on there and was all "It's 1, everyone who says 9 has a common mind. This isn't an insult, I was one too once, but now I have made the changes and I'm not a common mind any more."

What a bitch :hahaha: She then used an equation she dreamed up to prove why her version of following BOMDAS/PEMDAS etc was superior and fucked that one up hardcore.

Moral of the story is: Don't act like a high and mighty superior bastard and your fall from grace won't be as spectacular.

[Hollycat]

1. nuff said

You're still in high school. DO MATH RIGHT.
Calculus BC thank you very much

[qwertysaur]

1. nuff said

You're still in high school. DO MATH RIGHT.
Calculus BC thank you very much
How are you with Taylor Series? And I hope you mastered finding the volume of an object from a rotation of a function. Those topics are favorites to add to the exam. Also Parametric equations though those are really easy. And I hope you memorized all the inverse trig derivatives. You will need to use them. They make the questions based on BC exclusive content harder just because they can.

And remember, you get no calculator for the multiple choice questions, and they expect you to be able to do something this simple without a thought.

On my Calc BC exam they asked for a 6^th degree Taylor series as the final free response question. BC Calc was so much fun.

[Yar]

So I really don't know if anyone has answered my question yet of if six halves is the coefficient then why isn't it written as (6/2)(1+2)?

I'm a language major who is currently failing math. I am only asking questions! I just want answers. Why can't I have answers D:

[Shlup]

No one's answered your question because it doesn't make sense.




1. nuff said

You're still in high school. DO MATH RIGHT.
Calculus BC thank you very much

If you're in calc then you should probably do fifth grade math right.

[Yar]

No one's answered your question because it doesn't make sense.Why not? If I divide 6 by 2 before I add the 1 and 2 in the parenthesis, I still get the same result.

[Raistlin]

Because that's not the equation we're discussing. The actual equation is now in the title with less misleading notation. The 2 is multiplied by what's in the brackets, not 6/2 as a whole. Which is the whole source of this stupid debate.

[qwertysaur]

I answered it here

http://forums.eyesonff.com/general-chat/136923-6-2-1-2-a.html#post2977837

[NorthernChaosGod]

Man, this is like a stupid soda v. pop debate. :colbert:

[Aerith's Knight]

When in doubt, use Wolfram Alpha (http://www.wolframalpha.com).

[Shlup]

Man, this is like a stupid soda v. pop debate. :colbert:

No, it's not, because it has a right answer: 9. This is pretty basic smurfing math; there is no debate.

I can see a couple of people maybe being a little confused because rubah originally posted the equation slightly different from the original one, but the answer would still be 9. Plug it into Google if it makes you feel better; the answer is smurfing 9.

[qwertysaur]

When in doubt, use Wolfram|Alpha: Computational Knowledge Engine (http://www.wolframalpha.com).
It's very polite. :bigsmile:

[Raistlin]

Man, this is like a stupid soda v. pop debate. :colbert:

No, it's not, because it has a right answer: 9. This is pretty basic smurfing math; there is no debate.

So in that sense it really is like the soda vs pop "debate."

[Shlup]

I was waiting for someone to say that, but I have to say that I'm a little disappointed that it was you.

[qwertysaur]

Man, this is like a stupid soda v. pop debate. :colbert:

No, it's not, because it has a right answer: 9. This is pretty basic smurfing math; there is no debate.

So in that sense it really is like the soda vs pop "debate."
Yes, only it's more painful to see people try and defend the incorrect answer. This is a 3^rd grade level problem in NY.

[Shlup]

Yes, only it's more painful to see people try and defend the incorrect answer. This is a 3^rd grade level problem in NY.

Yeah, I shouldn't've tried to read the comments on the original Facebook poll. So many of the people who answered 1 just say something like "its PEMDAS u dum bitchez".

I have been subjected to more stupidity in the last couple of days that I can handle. BJ's about to come home to a drunkass of a wife.

[o_O]

It can be Over or Of, I think Of makes more sense because (Powers) Of y'know?

I always knew the O as "orders".... but imo BEDMAS (brackets, exponents, div, mul, add, sub) is the best. For no reason other than I learnt it as a kid. :D


So I really don't know if anyone has answered my question yet of if six halves is the coefficient then why isn't it written as (6/2)(1+2)?

The first pair of brackets aid the clarity of the equation but isn't technically necessary, thanks to BEDMAS. A coefficient is any number multiplied by another, and this equation is in the form of a/b*c; since division is actually a type of multiplication (a/b = a*(1/b) = a * b^-1), the true form of the equation is actually a*b*c. Therefore:
- a*b*c = <span style="color: #00ff00;">6</span>*<span style="color: #0000ff;">1/2</span>*<span style="color: #ff0000;">(1+2)</span>
- 6/2 is a coefficient of (1+2)
- (1/2)(1+2) is a coefficient of 6
- 6(1+2) is a coefficient of 1/2 (or 2^-1)

In any case, the brackets must be done first:
6/2(1+2) = 6/2(3)
Another way to write 2(3) is 2*3:
6/2(3) = 6/2*3
Therefore, by BEDMAS, you multiply and divide from left to right:
6/2*3 = 3*3 = 9

:D

[Goldenboko]

Unfortunately I slept through Algebra One.

This is fifth grade math. Maybe fourth.

Meh, slept then too.

[qwertysaur]

Unfortunately I slept through Algebra One.

This is fifth grade math. Maybe fourth.

Meh, slept then too.
It should still be second nature though. I slept through Pre Calculus in High school occasionally because it was so easy. :p

[I Don't Need A Name]

My australian school taught me BOMDAS and I just like saying it. BOMDAS. :bou::bou::bou::bou: yeah bitches.

Same here in my English schools. And for us, the O was either Of or Order I think? I kinda stopped paying attention to it after Year 9 and did it all automatically anyway.

[Yar]

So I really don't know if anyone has answered my question yet of if six halves is the coefficient then why isn't it written as (6/2)(1+2)?

The first pair of brackets aid the clarity of the equation but isn't technically necessary, thanks to BEDMAS. A coefficient is any number multiplied by another, and this equation is in the form of a/b*c; since division is actually a type of multiplication (a/b = a*(1/b) = a * b^-1), the true form of the equation is actually a*b*c. Therefore:
- a*b*c = <span style="color: #00ff00;">6</span>*<span style="color: #0000ff;">1/2</span>*<span style="color: #ff0000;">(1+2)</span>
- 6/2 is a coefficient of (1+2)
- (1/2)(1+2) is a coefficient of 6
- 6(1+2) is a coefficient of 1/2 (or 2^-1)

In any case, the brackets must be done first:
6/2(1+2) = 6/2(3)
Another way to write 2(3) is 2*3:
6/2(3) = 6/2*3
Therefore, by BEDMAS, you multiply and divide from left to right:
6/2*3 = 3*3 = 9

:DThank you for understanding what I was asking and explaining it. :heart:

[NorthernChaosGod]

Man, this is like a stupid soda v. pop debate. :colbert:

No, it's not, because it has a right answer: 9. This is pretty basic smurfing math; there is no debate.

So in that sense it really is like the soda vs pop "debate."
I don't mind that it's you who explained it for me. :love:

[rubah]

Unfortunately I slept through Algebra One.

This is fifth grade math. Maybe fourth.

Sixth grade math was fractions FYI

I would've said 1 but it's a moot point because as an engineer, I would be typing it into a computer or calculator anyway. (We never learned the PE part, just My Dear Aunt Sally, with no implicit direction. So, uh, it's great that you guys have such stellar math departments in your elementary schools!)

[Shlup]

Unfortunately I slept through Algebra One.

This is fifth grade math. Maybe fourth.

Sixth grade math was fractions FYI

Thank you for explaining math education to me, for it is clearly something I have no knowledge of. xD

Though it also depends on where you live, when you went to elementary school, and what properties of fractions you're talking about.

[The Man]

I had to look up the order of operations to determine the answer. In my defence it's been like nine years since I had a maths class. I got a 5 on the BC Calc exam in 10th grade so it's not like the subject of maths was ever difficult for me, but I haven't had anything for which I needed to use order of operations in ages. Or differentials.

Incidentally whoever started this doing the rounds must have copied it from the Wikipedia article on order of operations because it appears as an example in the article.

[rubah]

Thank you for explaining math education to me, for it is clearly something I have no knowledge of. xD

Just making sure you don't take your experiences for norms~

everyone being all "if you think this then you're retarded" up in this thread is kinda pissing me off since it's effectively a nonissue, as gobo has demonstrated.

the basic gist is you're all falling subject to what amounts to a peegee troll

[Peegee]

I resent that. I didn't say 1 I said 9.

link (http://forums.eyesonff.com/general-chat/136923-6-2-1-2-a.html#post2977868)

another way to show the solution:

6/2(1+2) = x

you get a '1' if you distribute 2(1+2)

there's no other way to get a 1
6/2(1+2) = 6/(2+4) = 6/6 = 1
6/2(1+2) = 6/(2*3) = 6/6 = 1

but those brackets don't exist when you distribute. They disappear

6/2(1+2) = 6/2*3
6/2 = 3
3*3 = 9
QED

alternatively: 6/2*3 = (3* 6 ) / 2 not 6 / (2*3)

you can only move the multiplication symbol around in an equation, but not the division sign

3*5 = 5*3
3/5 != 5/3

edit again:

I've re-written the exact same question in a way that anybody can solve

http://i51.:bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou:/2j3l9uc.jpg

[Jiro]

I see your handwriting has improved!

[Timekeeper]

It can be Over or Of, I think Of makes more sense because (Powers) Of y'know?

I always knew the O as "orders".... but imo BEDMAS (brackets, exponents, div, mul, add, sub) is the best. For no reason other than I learnt it as a kid. :D

Yep it stands for Orders, as in Powers/Exponents/Indices etc.

I think primary schools need to make the fact that you do things left to right a little clearer. Though with some people, it'll always be a lost cause...