• Hex [he/him]
    ·
    edit-2
    7 hours ago

    I'm not trying to start an argument over this, but I respectfully disagree.

    6 / 2 * (1 + 2)

    6 / 2 * 3

    3 * 3

    9 edit: accidentally said 6 here

    Parentheses first, then division and multiplication granting priority to operations on the left.

    • The_sleepy_woke_dialectic [he/him]
      ·
      edit-2
      5 hours ago

      If it's 2(1 + 2) that's considered one "term" and heavily implies that you should FOIL first before anything else. It isn't the same as 2 * (2 + 1). Of course you wouldn't likely get an equation like that without knowing "what" you're doing, which would answer any ambiguity.

    • Imnecomrade [none/use name]
      ·
      edit-2
      7 hours ago

      Assuming the first way is written correctly, the equation is actually 6 / (2 * (1 + 2)). The (1 + 2) is still inside the denominator. So it is solved as follows:

      6 / (2 * (1 + 2))

      6 / (2 * 3)

      6 / 6

      1

      The second equation incorrectly takes out the (1 + 2) and places it as the numerator on the side. In order to take that piece out correctly, it would have to be: (6 / 2) * (1 / (1 + 2))

      And to solve it, it would look like as follows:

      (6 / 2) * (1 / (1 + 2))

      3 * (1 / (1 + 2))

      3 * (1 / 3)

      3 / 3

      1

      Also, 3 * 3 = 9 in regards to second incorrect equation (incorrect meaning the second incorrectly refactored equation from the pic that you answered correctly up until the last operation).

      I think The_sleepy_woke_dialectic forgot to put parentheses around the denominator, but I believe it was meant to be interpreted as the entire denominator as shown in the pic.

      • Hex [he/him]
        ·
        edit-2
        7 hours ago

        My bad on typing 6 as the final number, typo.

        I think the image is discussing the two ways most people interpret the (deliberately slightly obtuse) equation 6 / 2(1+2) Following BEDMAS BOMDAS PEMDAS or however you call it in your area as written, the correct interpretation is interpretation #2, which resolves to 9,

        However many people also interpret the implitic multiplication in 2(1+2) to have higher priority, or makes the 2 and () into one unit, as if put into Parentheses, which leads to interpretation #1, which resolves to 1.

        The real answer is to make the original question less obtuse, but any parsing algorithm correctly given the rules of mathematical notation would resolve it to 9