Poll: 6÷2(1+2)

6/2(1+2) = ?

  • 9

    Votes: 516 68.9%

  • 1

    Votes: 233 31.1%
  • Total voters
    749
Bracket's out. 1 + 2 = 3

6 ÷ 2 x 3

Divide. 6 ÷ 2 = 3

3 x 3

Multiply.

3 x 3 = 9



Their is never 2 answers, you have to follow the BODMAS rule when using brackets, therefore the answer will always be 9!

Just incase somebody hasn't posted and cleared this up already!
 
FoxEye said:
A number very close to zero is not zero as others have said. x/0 *is* meaningless.
Click to expand...

As I've said, it's too complicated to explain to kids in school so they just skip over it. Of course it's impossible in its basic form of "I want to work out 1/0 please" but the fact is the concept of infinity opens up a world into fascinating theories and applications as well as explanations for many things in our universe.

Simply dismissing it as "meaningless" is utterly ignorant.

I don't want to go far off topic but I wanted to demonstrate that my point of looking at things through more that one perspective is valid.

FoxEye said:
And I suspect you're trolling anyhow. Or attempting to discredit anyone giving the right answer but lacking a math degree, because you have a math degree.
Click to expand...

Ah yes the classic OcUK go to move.. "errr does not compute....errr... YOU'RE TROLLING!"
 
Rroff said:
Where in the equation does it tell you to do 2 times 3 on its own? the only bit thats indicated out of order is the 1+2.
Click to expand...

I refer you to my earlier post, as it's a fraction, you have to resolve the bottom half first before dividing by 6.

Anyway you quoted 2 times 3, so your half way there to resolving the bottom half of the equation.

Also, as some people have already pointed out, where does it say 'TIMES' 2 by 3?

We have all assumed that part, have we not!!!!;)
 
mufc802 said:
The question says 6/2(1+2)...

So you do the brackets which makes 6/2(3). Now 6 times by 3 is 18. You are now left with 18/2 which is 9.
Click to expand...

That's a somewhat different solution to most to reach 9. The more usual appeared to be:
6/2(1+2)
(6/2)(3)
(3)(3)
9

Or for the 1 folks:
6/2(1+2)
6/(2(3))
6/6
1

It's quite something to see the ingenuity with which we've variously managed to interpret a question.
 
semi-pro waster said:
That's a somewhat different solution to most to reach 9. The more usual appeared to be:
6/2(1+2)
(6/2)(3)
(3)(3)
9

Or for the 1 folks:
6/2(1+2)
6/(2(3))
6/6
1
Click to expand...

Yeah it was meant to be another method in-case you didn't have easy numbers like 6 and 2 that can divide into itself. If it was 9/2(1+2) then you can't do 9/2 as a whole number, but you could do 9/2(3) which is 27/2 which can't be simplified any more.
 
x Darkchild said:
Bracket's out. 1 + 2 = 3

6 ÷ 2 x 3

Divide. 6 ÷ 2 = 3

3 x 3

Multiply.

3 x 3 = 9



Their is never 2 answers, you have to follow the BODMAS rule when using brackets, therefore the answer will always be 9!

Just incase somebody hasn't posted and cleared this up already!
Click to expand...

Bracket's out. 1 + 2 = 3

6
____
2 x 3

Resolve bottom half of equation first,

So 2 x 3 = 6

So

6
____
6

Equals 1

Their is SOMETIMES 2 answers to a problem, you may have to follow the BODMAS rule OR OTHER RULES, therefore the answer won't always be 9!

Just incase somebody hasn't posted and cleared this up already!
;);)
 
What other rules are you following plasmahal?

If you only follow convention some of the time, when don't you follow it?
 
plasmahal said:
That's half the problem, it's the kids that think it can only be 9 and not both!!!!!
Click to expand...

They think its 9 because by convention it is 9

we introduce these conventions in order to remove ambiguity

by having an order of operations you remove the need to use extra parenthesis

the answer is only 1 if you chose to ignore convention and assume that the question is either asking something it isn't or is ambiguous with a possible answer of 1 or 9. With convention the ambiguity is removed and the answer is 9.
 
dowie said:
They think its 9 because by convention it is 9

we introduce these conventions in order to remove ambiguity

by having an order of operations you remove the need to use extra parenthesis

the answer is only 1 if you chose to ignore convention and assume that the question is either asking something it isn't or is ambiguous with a possible answer of 1 or 9. With convention the ambiguity is removed and the answer is 9.
Click to expand...

Dowie,

That's best and most sensible response yet, well done. :D

It's a fair point well put.
 
FoxEye said:
A number very close to zero is not zero as others have said. x/0 *is* meaningless.

And I suspect you're trolling anyhow. Or attempting to discredit anyone giving the right answer but lacking a math degree, because you have a math degree.
Click to expand...

So, is 0.99r equal to 1 or not?

Anyway. A number divided by 0 is infinity, which you can show by calculating a/x as x->0.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom