• TC_209 [he/him, comrade/them]@hexbear.net
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    1 day ago

    It’s a math joke (“”“joke”“”) about misunderstanding the intent behind written problems, as poorly-written problems can be interpreted in multiple ways, but well-written problems are (almost) always correctly interpreted by reasonably math literate folks. The fact the you arrived at two different solutions means that you correctly interpreted the intent behind both problems.

      • Hex [he/him]@hexbear.net
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        12 hours ago

        I’m not trying to start an argument over this, but I respectfully disagree.

        6 / 2 * (1 + 2)

        6 / 2 * 3

        3 * 3

        9 edit: accidentally said 6 here

        Parentheses first, then division and multiplication granting priority to operations on the left.

        • The_sleepy_woke_dialectic [he/him]@hexbear.net
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          10 hours ago

          If it’s 2(1 + 2) that’s considered one “term” and heavily implies that you should FOIL first before anything else. It isn’t the same as 2 * (2 + 1). Of course you wouldn’t likely get an equation like that without knowing “what” you’re doing, which would answer any ambiguity.

          • Imnecomrade [none/use name]@hexbear.net
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            8 minutes ago

            2(1 + 2) does imply multiplication: 2 * (1 + 2). The reason it counts as one term, as I noted below, is because it is inside a two-dimensional fraction which has implicit parathenses in the numerator, denominator, and the fraction itself. The first equation is actually ((6) / (2(1 + 2))). When a fraction is written in two dimensions instead of a single string, the division between the numerator and the denominator is supposed to be done last.

        • Imnecomrade [none/use name]@hexbear.net
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          12 hours ago

          Assuming the first way is written correctly, the equation is actually 6 / (2 * (1 + 2)). The (1 + 2) is still inside the denominator. So it is solved as follows:

          6 / (2 * (1 + 2))

          6 / (2 * 3)

          6 / 6

          1

          The second equation incorrectly takes out the (1 + 2) and places it as the numerator on the side. In order to take that piece out correctly, it would have to be: (6 / 2) * (1 / (1 + 2))

          And to solve it, it would look like as follows:

          (6 / 2) * (1 / (1 + 2))

          3 * (1 / (1 + 2))

          3 * (1 / 3)

          3 / 3

          1

          Also, 3 * 3 = 9 in regards to second incorrect equation (incorrect meaning the second incorrectly refactored equation from the pic that you answered correctly up until the last operation).

          I think The_sleepy_woke_dialectic forgot to put parentheses around the denominator, but I believe it was meant to be interpreted as the entire denominator as shown in the pic.