Poll: 6÷2(1+2)

6/2(1+2) = ?

  • 9

    Votes: 516 68.9%

  • 1

    Votes: 233 31.1%
  • Total voters
    749
G-MAN2004 said:
rolfharris1.jpg
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6XHd0.jpg.png


Hatter The Mad said:
You're wrong, see:
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?p=19012392#411
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I'm not wrong, but I won't hide that I'm trying to stir it. As previously stated it depends on how you read the equation. You're reading it that way, other people are expanding the brackets first. Everyone is a winner.

I think it's funny that EVERYONE in the thread is making assumptions and taking it for fact. It's more funny how much people are getting wound up here :)
 
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Deadbeat said:
No idea where you're getting 6 from. Either add the internal brackets first (leaving 2(4) = 8) or multiply out the brackets ((4+4) = 8). Where do you get the 6 from?
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Ummm... I know that 2(2+2)=8... But you said that the bracket 'function' was 2(2+2)=8
i.e. That this whole lot is first in the order of which part to do first.
So, following that logic, this would mean that 2(2+2) would be the same as 2x2+2 which is 6, which is clearly wrong. Anyone with an idea of how to do maths knows that it's 8, so clearly there is a fault in your idea that the 2 in front of the brackets is included in the bracket. This is where you are going wrong.
 
Hatter The Mad said:
As far as you can be concerned, the sky is green. You're entitled to your own opinions but not your own facts.

The standard order of operations is:

terms inside parenthesis
exponents and roots
multiplication and division
addition and subtraction


So lets start by laying it out properly - that might make it easier to understand:

Code: 
6
- (1+2)
2

Step one: terms inside parenthesis

Code: 
6
- (3)
2

Step two: exponents and roots (nothing to do)

Step three: multiplication and division

Code: 
3(3) = 9
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17d63b16251a10fb970ff3574a776a8454747fe0f9.jpg
 
I'm a 41 year old father with two children in education. If this is the standard they are teaching nowadays then it really worries me. It's not even a difficult question. It's basic stuff; really basic stuff. It's the kind of thing I was doing at 8 or 9.

I'm genuinely gobsmacked here. And in despare that we, as a country, are trying to compete on the world stage and we can't even get this right.

Amazing :(



EDIT: For those in this thread saying "I got a 2:1 blah blah in maths and it's a 1" then please go and find a decent university, not one that converted from being a polytechnic in the 90's.

EDIt 2: No offence meant to anyone but I'm drunk :D
 
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Hades said:
I'm genuinely gobsmacked here. And in despare that we, as a country, are trying to compete on the world stage and we can't even get this right.
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Most of the country is thick, is glued to ITV and worships tabloids and celeb magazines.

We have massive school grade inflation but little cognitive improvement to show for it (according to the OECD).

You would think that being geeks and attracted to a forum about computer hardware, we might attract the above average.

And perhaps we have... but all that means is things are sadder than what I thought to begin with (with a third of people thinking the answer to this question is 1).
 
Hatter The Mad said:
Most of the country is thick, is glued to ITV and worships tabloids and celeb magazines.

We have massive school grade inflation but little cognitive improvement to show for it (according to the OECD).

You would think that being geeks and attracted to a forum about computer hardware, we might attract the above average.

And perhaps we have... but all that means is things are sadder than what I thought to begin with (with a third of people thinking the answer to this question is 1).
Click to expand...

I run an IT area for an investment bank. Even though I've only been there for about 6 months I jumped at the chance to get involved in their graduate recruitment programme. I really do value the importance of offering people a career and guiding them through their early years to fulfill their potential.

But... over several weeks we interviewed numerous people and nearly everyone who was offered a job at the end of the process was someone from another EU country. I was part of the team deciding on who went through, and the standard from other EU couhtries was not only higher but the commitment shown by the candidates was much higher.

The UK candidates seemed to waltz in, assuming they were king of the hill because they had a degree, and really showed no hunger or desire in life.

It was quite an eye opener I'm afraid.
 
scott212 said:
Just seen this on Facebook questions.

6÷2(1+2)

1 or 9?

The majority of people have put 9. How can it possibly be 9?
Reading justifications for why it is 9 is infuriating so I was just wondering if any maths experts on here can clarify.

EDIT
There is no right or wrong answer. It's all in the interpretation of the expression which is inherently unclear.
Click to expand...

BODMAS

Brackets
Other
Division
Multiplication
Addition
Subtraction


SUM = 6/2 (1+2)

BRACKETS FIRST
(1+2) = 3

Leaves us with = 6/2 * 3


OTHER
None


DIVISION

6/2 = 3

Leaves us with = 3*3


MULTIPLICATION

3*3 = 9.

Leaves us with the answer 9.


That's the way in which you should approach the sum :)

Well that's what i was taught in Secondary School!
 
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It seems that everyone who has done maths to degree/phd level would answer 1 immediately but agrees the question is deliberately ambiguous.
 
The thing is there is an ambiguity brought about by the use of the division sign rather than proper use of fractions.

This would be the better representation
Code: 
  6
------
2(1+2)


vs


  6 
----  * (1+2)
  2
 
nydryl said:
It seems that everyone who has done maths to degree/phd level would answer 1 immediately but agrees the question is deliberately ambiguous.
Click to expand...

I would agree, I have a PhD in CS and would answer 1 but know immediately it is ambiguous.

The people answering 9 seem to blindly apply rules taught to10 years without questioning the ambiguity.
 
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