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?

[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.

[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.

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))

[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. ]

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)) 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 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.

[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.

instead of 6/2(1+2).

÷ Is Alt and 246 on the numberpad for windows.

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. ]

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)) 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. 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.

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.

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,

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 )

[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.