Poll: 6÷2(1+2)

6/2(1+2) = ?

  • 9

    Votes: 516 68.9%

  • 1

    Votes: 233 31.1%
  • Total voters
    749
But fractions and divisions are two different systems. We can't just suddenly hand out division problems looking like fractions, thats just confusing...
 
It is unclear and poorly expressed.

It should be written as one of the following two, and this is also how it is percieved by both sides:

First side for it equalling 9:
(6/2) * (1+2) = 9

and the second for it equalling 1:
6/(2(1+2))

you don't know whether what is contained in the brackets is in the denominator or in the numerator/separate.

Also whether division is higher order than multiplication is risky, they are taught as being the same as any division can be represented by a multiplication and vice versa.
 
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Morba said:
As there is no operator in 2(2+1) people are assuming you do the whole thing to work out the bracket. In reality you don't, it's 2x(2+1), so 2x3. In the whole equation this would not = 6 as the division is first, making it 3x3.

Unless I'm doing something wrong, which is possible :D
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I may be misunderstanding you here, but 2(2+1) is the same as 2x(2+1).

2x(2+1) = 2x2 + 2x1 = 6

2(2+1) = 2(3) = 6
 
scott212 said:
That would be 9.

It's not 6/2*(1+2)

It's 6/2(1+2).

They're not the same.
Click to expand...
they are...

people getting 1 are essentially calculating

6 over 2(1+2) but for it to be that it would need a second set of brackets


and yea i cant word what i mean very well , others including linked websites have done it better above

ghost101 said:
2(1+2) actually means nothing. It is implied there is an * operation there.
Click to expand...

key point of thread and should have been included at gcse maths
 
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It appears that this problem has been discussed to death on many, many other forums as the answer to: 48÷2(9+3). If the other threads are anything to go by, the future of this thread does not look good :p

In fairness I can see the argument from both sides. It all depends whether you see an extra pair of brackets as being implied by the lack of multiplication symbol, i.e. 2(1+2) is either 2*(1+2) or (2*(1+2)).
 
Mason- said:
It is unclear and poorly expressed.

It should be written as one of the following two, and this is also how it is percieved by both sides:

First side for it equalling 9:
(6/2) * (1+3) = 9

and the second for it equalling 1:
6/(2(1+3))

you don't know whether what is contained in the brackets is in the denominator or in the numerator/separate.

Also whether division is higher order than multiplication is risky, they are taught as being the same as any division can be represented by a multiplication and vice versa.
Click to expand...

I think this is the best answer I can hope to find, where we can agree that Bodmas takes one of the two possible interpretations.
 
weringo said:
...6...
2(1+2)

would be 1

The answer to your quesiton is 9
Click to expand...

Which suggests that the actual Poll is asking a different question to the OP.

÷ is not the same as /
as terms before and after a / are assumed to be bracketed, and indeed should be so clarification on which question is being asked isn't required.
 
I have an A* in maths and I won the maths trophy in primary school so I'm clearly qualified to answer this question. It's 9.
 
scott212 said:
I think this is the best answer I can hope to find, where we can agree that Bodmas takes one of the two possible interpretations.
Click to expand...

That was my very first thought. But it seems it that there is a left to right rule. You compute left to right (in the equation itself) unless there is a rule saying otherwise.

Hence answer is 9.
 
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