I learned it as 'bedmas'
order of operations =
brackets
exponents
division&multiplication
addition and subtraction


answer = 2

http://www.zazzle.com/48_2_9_3_tshir...82834792365529


haha buy the t-shirt ... the answer is 288 I would say

I was going to say 36. Guess i should have finished school.

I got 288 the first time I tried, then checked google calculator and it says 288 too.

So I'm going with 288.

but of course in all reality a math professor has stated that there is no right or wrong

quoted from physics forum

so the correct answer is AMBIGUOUS :1orglaugh

Again, it's an argument of explicit versus implicit multiplication. Something that's not a steadfast rule. The point of the troll is that the original equation is written amigiously.

To write it properly to be solved as 288 it should indeed be written as:

(48÷2)(9+3)=X

By the same token to be solved as 2 it should be written as:

48/(2(9+3))

OR

48
-------
2(9+3)

Were it written in this fashion we could easily agree on the answer. It's not though, so there's no way that applying the standard order of operations to this can be considered "wrong".

It's 288, no sign defaults to multiply 24 x 12 = 288
You do the brackets first = 12
Then outside brackets is 24
There is nothing in between so default is multiply 24 x 12 = 288
Doing rational numbers and getting 24/12 = 2 is cool but it's wrong, that's not what the equation is saying.

YOu are all some smart fuckers.
I used to be good at math too .

Tonight when you are lying awake, and this is bugging you
remember me and use my tube style embeds;)

Why would a sloppily written equation bug anyone?

The point of math is precision which is why you almost never see the ÷ symbol used in physics or engineering.

SHIT, oh my God are you Gordon Brown ? Is the reason the UK economy is gonna take the next 10 years to come right is because you thought that every time you spent £2 Billion it was really £288 Billion.

You can't use philosophy to solve math problems.

Otherwise I'd use Nietzsche's theory and point out that I don't even care what the answer is.

LOL saw this on another board recently ;)

shhhhhh

wn

No. Putting the 2 inside brackets with the 48 changes the order you do the equation in.

WN4L :pimp:pimp:pimp

Don't be an ubermensch.

written exactly like the title says, my natural display scientific calculator says the answer is 72

The correct answer is:

Trying to do an equation that is written incorrectly makes you an idiot.

Or even better

48 / (2 X (9+3)) = 2 (48/24)

(48 / 2) X (9+3) = 288 (24X12)

EDIT: Just noticed you done one of them excactly the same as me. Oh well that just confirms it :)

my math says: 2

Anyone using Google to calculate that formula can clearly see that Google changes the formula itself to come up with the 288 result.

(48 ÷ 2) * (9 + 3)

is different than

48÷2(9+3)

The correct answer is 2

x + 4 = x + 6

I've been out of school for awhile but I'm going with 2!

Plus it's what Kristin came up with and she has always struck me as pretty sharp (and HOT! -- LOVE those gingers...) so I feel I'm feeling pretty confident. :winkwink:

True, but

48 ÷ 2 * (9 + 3)

Is the same.

And the answer is 288

Dos burritos for your face.

Wolfram Alpha alters it as well --

http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=48%2F2%289%2B3%29

For some reason this thread has fascinated me today, thanks Phx.

Wow.. I haven't realized how many idiots is around lol ..it's not even funny.

You have to post your answer before you can throw stones, fess up.

Are you kidding... lol :1orglaugh I don't know how schools and teaching in the US and other countries than mine look like but I had much more advanced math when I was 7. Answering such question would be equal to insulting myself.

False.

48 ÷ 2 * (9 + 3) is not the same as 48÷2(9+3)

As written, 48÷2(9+3) = 2

The implied multiplication 2(9+3) precedes the division in the equation.

This debate has been complicated by persons who have warped basic rules to cast question on what usually is a straightforward mathematical standard.

To clarify what I stated above, implicit functions do take precedent over explicit functions.

Sorry, while I don't think either answer is necessarily wrong, I'm sticking with 288 being right.

You guys are trying to apply the distributive property to this equation and it doesn't apply. The distributive property applies to multiplying a polynomial by a monomial. 9 + 3 is not a polynomial and thus the distributive property does not apply.

It's a badly written equation for sure, but to claim that 288 is "wrong", is just well, you know what ... :)

I agree with this

if they didn't want the implicit function then they should have written the equation differently

who doesn`t love google?:)
(48 ÷ 2) * (9 + 3) = 288

http://artoftrolling.memebase.com/


the ART OF TROLLING


there is no correct answer the equation is badly written .. there are different standards / rules .; and unless you know what standard/ rule your target audience is on this is not a well written equation .. thats the troll

both "2" and "288" are correct .. according to a math professor .. the actual correct answer to this equation would be according to the professor first clear out what rule you are supposed to follow.. if that is not clear he states you cannot/ should not try and come up with an anwser :2 cents::1orglaugh

good troll though!!:1orglaugh

Phoenix is a troll :mad: :upsidedow

you do brackets first and then as division and multiplication are equal you go left to right. so:

48/2(9+3) = 48/2 x 12 = 24*12 = 288

AND i like robot chicken too

DING DING DING! We have a WINNER!

2

A scalar multiplication, X(Y) should have a higher preference over a multiplication symbol X*Y

Though it depends on your actual maths formula parser, some could substitue X*(Y) for X(Y) as a seperate standard.

Both answers are technically right, because the equation is written incorrectly.

The question really is, did the person mean

48
---
2(9+3)

or

48
--- (9+3)
2


The way it stands right now the equation is missing a set of brackets. So you guys are just going to argue until your face is blue. http://www.google.com/#s&q=%2248%C3%...2B3%29%22&fp=1

how many sales today ?

and yes btw:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_o...ions#Mnemonics

the answer is 288 (not 2)

i cant believe 27% of you think you are right.

there are so many ways to align those numbers to other things.

:)

i was sure it was 288 but after reading this thread i think it's time to crack open the ol'texts

fitty + fitty+Fitty = one fitty ...... math wiz I is :Graucho

False.

The equation as it stands = 2 specifically because of what I stated earlier.

Implicit functions 2(9+3) do take precedent over explicit functions 48/2.

Those who are entering the equation into google blatantly are ignoring the fact that to come up with 288, google has rewritten the equation.

:1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh