40+40x0+1 =
- Thread starter kokuten
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Not if you're trolling Facebook for fun and profit.
If you like. At least it's unambiguous.
Caporegime
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By writing out the bracket it relies on you knowing that you know the rule to use the bracket first.
40 + (40 x 0 ) + 1
If you were never taught that, and ignore that rule, then you ignore the brackets.
Does it mean the brackets didn't exist?
Now, does the fact that you didn't know you should have done the multiplication first mean that rule doesn't exist?
It is written clearly in the first place. The x symbol was there. That is as big a sign for you to know that you should do that part first as much as if there was a bracket.
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The original is unambiguous as well.
Most likely as it was probably intentionally written this way.
Technically the bracket doesn't need to be there as BODMAS has it covered.
It just makes it easy and quicker to read/understand if it is, which is what 99.9% of people do when writing out something like this.
The astoundednessness (yes I made it up) wasn't aimed at you specifically by the way, just a general observation of the thread.
I remember being taught BIDMAS as it was called when I was at school but it wasn't something we seemed to need often. The work I do now means I add and subtract in base 60, 25 and 24. At home I have to work out the credit card bill, measure out to design and build the new kitchen and bathroom and many other things. At no point since my last maths lesson 9 years ago have I EVER needed to know BIDMAS apart from this one question.
I do remember the rules but then I enjoyed Maths. Plenty hated it so it really isn't a surprise that so many don't. I'd love to see how many of the richest or most influential people in the world know the correct answer.
Caporegime
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Point well made.
For me I don't get why people are saying that the question is 'ambiguous' (even after being told about the rule).
If you don't know the rule, then you can't do any basic algebra, which is required for solving a vast array of problems.
a+b*c is not the same as (a+b)*c
And that is exactly the point of the question in the OP.
While a mathematician may not ever write 40+40*0+1, they definitely do write things in the format a+b*c. The same rule is required to solve either of those, and if you don't know the rule then you will get both of them wrong.
If you don't know the rule, then you can't do any basic algebra, which is required for solving a vast array of problems.
a+b*c is not the same as (a+b)*c
And that is exactly the point of the question in the OP.
While a mathematician may not ever write 40+40*0+1, they definitely do write things in the format a+b*c. The same rule is required to solve either of those, and if you don't know the rule then you will get both of them wrong.
