https://zeta.one/viral-math/

I wrote a (very long) blog post about those viral math problems and am looking for feedback, especially from people who are not convinced that the problem is ambiguous.

It's about a 30min read so thank you in advance if you really take the time to read it, but I think it's worth it if you joined such discussions in the past, but I'm probably biased because I wrote it :)

  • Zerush@lemmy.ml
    ·
    10 months ago

    It's not ambiguos nor an communication problem, it's basic Math

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    • wischi@programming.dev
      ·
      10 months ago

      You should read the part about WolframAlpha in the blog.

      https://www.wolframalpha.com/input?i=6%2Fxy+where+x%3D2%2C+y%3D3

      • 7heo@lemmy.ml
        ·
        10 months ago

        https://www.wolframalpha.com/input?i=6%2Fx*%28y%29+where+x%3D2%2C+y%3D3

        Heyoooooo

        • wischi@programming.dev
          ·
          10 months ago

          Now you changed it to an explicit multiplication. The ambiguity only comes from the implicit multiplication after a division, that's when the interpretation can be ambiguous. That's what the blog post really is about.

    • Bumblefumble@lemm.ee
      ·
      10 months ago

      Both of those screenshots, the input is a fraction, thereby removing the ambiguity. But when you use the division symbol, an ambiguity arises. This is why you should never, for any reason, use a division symbol.