Facebook debacle.

6÷2 (1+2) = ?

Having plenty of discussions about the right answer on this one, feel free to solve this "hard" formula.

Quote
675 000 people say 1 as answer
897 000 people say 9 as answer


PS : Mapple says it's 9, so do alot of online specialized calculators.
Comments
147
6+2 is 8
1+2 is 3

11

easy
dont mind but you have no mind.
Parent
damn you're retarded lol
Parent
damn you're retarded lol
Parent
is the () down or up ? :xD
meh could be both
are u good at maths? :x
Parent
dunno, never had problems with it though
Parent
BODMAS

Brackets then Order then Division

6÷2(1+2)
6÷2(3)
6÷6
1
first to get it correct
Parent
Except he didn't, P-E-MD-AS, you do left to right for multi/division and add/subtract, the equation is not 6/(2(1+2)), which would be equal to 1
Parent
DID MY YEAR 1 TEACHERS LIE TO ME?!!!!!!!!!!?!?!?!?!?!

never heard of pedmas, only did math till intermediate level
Parent
2(1+2) or shorter, 2(3) is just another way to write 6, so the equation is actually 6:6
Parent
Thats incorrect, you don't do the multiplication first, wolframalpha.com, any TI calculator etc. can prove it to you, type it in exactly how its written, 6/2(1+2)
Parent
Using online calculators to "prove" your "point" is good
Parent
I'm not a trained mathematician, fuck actually doing a proof, I was merely saying there is an easy way to show what the 'right' answer should be
Parent
you have three parts here: six division two multiply bracket. there is no priority of multiply over division, they are equal, so if division is first, then you divide first and the multiply the outcome with bracket.
Parent
Isn't it just 6:2*(1+2) -> 6:2*3 -> read from left to right since : * are equal -> (6:2)*3 -> 9
Here in the Western world we do calculations from left to right. Six divided by two multiplied by the sum of one and two is nine no matter what your feelings and opinions are.
Yet I'm being severely insulted by EnglandSheep's entire facebook-friendslist because I had the guts to say they were all wrong.

fml
Parent
np i back u up now!
Parent
it's 1


how the fuck do you get 9 out of it
BODMAS..

6/2(1+2) =
6/2*3 =
6/6 =
1

so 1 is the answer
explain your reasoning... :/

4x4 = 16



if the sum was 6(1+2)/2 then it would be 9
or if it was (6/2)(1+2) then it would also be 9

but the sum is 6/2(1+2) = 6/2*(1+2) = 6/(2*(1+2))
Parent
didnt read, CUZ
6/2x3 = 9
6/2= 3 x 3 = 9

WTF

e: 3(3) = 9 lmfao
Parent
Quote
Brackets first
Orders (ie Powers and Square Roots, etc.)
Division and Multiplication (left-to-right)
Addition and Subtraction (left-to-right)


1. Brackets first = 6/2 * (3)
2. Division and Multiplication (left-to-right) = 3 * 3

3 * 3 = 9
Parent
6 / 2 * 3

2*3 is the denominator (i.e. the bit on the bottom)
so its 6/6

otherwise it would be 6*3/2 which would be 9
Parent
why would you possibly think it could be denominator in a text line?

Especially that the author posted "÷", not "/".
Parent
2(1+2) =
(2*1 + 2*2)

the 2 distributes over the brackets

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

the use of the other notation is neither here nor there
Parent
But there is no bracket around 2(1+2). If there was a bracket, it would be written there. It is not there, so why do you think 2(1+2) is denominator?

The lack of * doesn't change anything. 2(1+2) is the same as 2*(1+2). So that you have 6/2*(1+2).

The first thing to do is to solve operation in the bracket. Then you have 6/2*3. And then you go from left to right. You cannot distribute just 2 over the bracket, because there is a rule of "left to right".

If you want, you can distribute 6/2 over the bracket, not just 2. Apart from the fact that there is no variable so it's pointless as the score is the same.
Parent
some people need to take a remedial math class
i wasnt in school for 4years now, and still i get suprised how dumb ppl are

e: Never finished 1st year of highschool, got kicked out 3times :x
Parent
need to write sums properly :p
Parent
its 1 obviously
the answer is 9 :D
Its 9, but at initial look I thought it was 1.
1 of course,

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

Now you have a calculation only consisting from multiplications.

1/6 * 2(3)
1/6 * 6
= 1
brackets first = 3

then you times 6/2 with 3 and you get 9.
Parent
wat!

Quote6 / 2 (1+2) = 1/6 * 2(1+2)


divide both sides by (1+2), what you get left is: 6 / 2 = 1 / 6 * 2 => 3 = 1/3? nice math
Parent
oh wait, I failed on that one :D I feel stupid now, anyways

6 ----------------- 6
------------- = ---------- = 1
2 * (1+2) -------- 6

=D

Edit: Might be clearer if:

(6) / (2*(1+2))
Parent
But that is NOT the problem, thats a different expression than what is written
Parent
jaja, check my latest post :D
Parent
I read it as 6/(2(1+2)) at first as well though lol
Parent
Too confusing! :D
Parent
use bemdas rule

so first do (1+2)=(3) then 6:2=3 then 3(3)=9
lol fukin nubs
Interesting, division and multiplication have the same priority in theory so indeed depending on which is given the highest priority it can indeed be both ^^

I'd go for one simple because nobody would write (6/2) . (1+2) when leaving the 1st bracket out cos its confusing, i'd write (1+2).6 / 2 which is clearly 9, therefore writing it differently would be 1 imo

But the rule without brackets is:
1. power
2. div/multiplication
3. + & -

So geegee, its both!
Quotedivision and multiplication have the same priority


There is this simple rule of reading from left to right you know
Parent
2 + 3*6 = 30 for you then?

edit: (1+2) 2 ÷ 6 . NOW WHAT HUH?
Parent
No, two plus the product of three and six isn't 30.
Parent
contradicting ur previous comment by first taking the multiplication in mind which is from right to left
Parent
I'll clarify my initial statement

There is this simple rule of reading operations of equal priority from left to right you know.
Parent
3x6 is 28

fucking idiot
Parent
rofl,try to keep up. He said "read from left to right" which I saw as a troll comment so I made an example reading from left to right; saying 2+3 * 6 read from left to right wud be 5*6 = 30. (while its clearly 2+ 18)

He now clarified his comment by explaining its only with equations of the same priority, which makes it a completely different situation ;)
Parent
Yeah I realised, I was just trolling. :D
In fact you are both right, it just depends on how you read the question (the main one in the journal!). :)
Parent
"its both"

:D
Parent
theres a reason why this is not solved yet ;)
Parent
9 is correct
6÷2 (1+2) = ?
6x15-2 = ?
= 88

conspiracy? didnt think so.
Does anyone over the age of 10 struggle with this? :S
YES ehm

mabi

no mabi not

image: dunnololdog
Parent
do it visually


6
_(2+1)
2

do parenthesis

6
_ 3
2

by order its either

6x3=18/2=9

or

6/2=3x3=9

this should be like uber insta triviality for people >4th grade
now i see the problem is not in people's math skills regarding the operator priority but in interpretation, people know the operators' priorities, but it's unclear to some people whether 2(1+2) is to be interpreted as (2(1+2)) because there is no operator between 2 and the opening bracket.. if you take the rule that 2x = 2*x, then this expression is perfectly clear and the result is 9

EDIT: I've never seen in any math problem I had to solve 2(1+2) to be interpreted the way so many people according to the vote do interpret.. it must be 9
If you divide with the 2 in 2(1+2), it will create problems when you try to apply it somewhere else.

One could also that 1÷4x (aka 1÷4(x)) would be 1÷4*x, which would be 0,25x, it's clear that it's 1÷4x

e: and 2(1+2) is just another way to write 6, same way you could write 4 with 2(2) or (x+x) as 2x
Parent
ok, right, i apologize to everyone i said they should take a remedial math class :D looks like i should. anyway, i was thinking the correct way, but got it wrong in the end.
Parent
Glad you could understand what I was saying, just read my post again and its full of typos.
Parent
Actually there's nothing wrong with what you wrote, Sungi isn't really on topic here (or right, for that matter)
Parent
Where did I go wrong?
Parent
QuoteOne could also that 1÷4x (aka 1÷4(x)) would be 1÷4*x, which would be 0,25x, it's clear that it's 1÷4x


1÷4x is precisely 0,25x.

Sure, if someone writes 1÷4x, he probably wants to say 1/(4x) which is a different thing (option 2 is he wants to confuse the reader), but the rules of mathematics don't really give a fuck about what you want to mean.

Wolfram Alpha disagrees with me, but that's because its AI interprets the input in a non-literal way (it tries to understand what the person wants to ask...).
Google Calculator agrees.
Parent
Actually this problem you said exists solely because we write things differently on paper than on computer.

If you were to write 1÷4x on paper, it would probably look more like 1 ÷ 4x, what makes it clear that 4x is the divider, and the 1 is the dividee(?).

Same is whether it's 6÷2(2+1), when it's 9, but for me it would make no sense to write it like that. 6 ÷ 2(2+1) would be much more logical, because I don't think why anyone would write a multiplication of a division and a sum all without any "spaces".

sorry for the random writing style
Parent
dividee aka numerator lol
Parent
spaces don't matter. 2 + 2 and 2+2 is the same. spaces cannot tell the order of proceeding.
Parent
actually it is 9 in the way kevin posted it
there is a space between 2 and (

off to bed
bye
Parent
No difference really. Nowhere in the realm of math would someone loosely educated in the subject NOT see the calculation from left right via simple mathematic rules. 2(1+2) is ALWAYS 2*(1+2).
Parent
I know, it surprises me how "stupid" some people can be.
Parent
99% of you are not discussing the real problem of the posted math problem.. people are aware of operator priority and the order of calculation, it is the implicit multiplication without the operator that is confusing, and if what I linked in the comment below from Wikipedia is correct, then the result may be 1 perhaps, but I'm not sure anymore.
Parent
Yeah I know that, figured it out after having changed my mind the first time.
Parent
+1, reading left to right is impossible for some ppl. If it says 6÷2(1+2) it says exactly that and not fucking 6÷(2(1+2)....
Parent
When I read it again (for the 9th time already (or is it the 1st??)), it does seem a little off topic, but it's correct imho.

going off to sleep now, write an answer if you may
Parent
If what this Wikipedia article says is true:

QuoteIn algebra, multiplication involving variables is often written as a juxtaposition (e.g. xy for x times y or 5x for five times x). This notation can also be used for quantities that are surrounded by parentheses (e.g. 5(2) or (5)(2) for five times two).


Obviously they didn't point out it's ((5)(2)) because it's a standalone expression, so surrounding brackets are not needed, but this paragraph does imply that 2(expression) is a separate expression.. I think?
Parent
the problem with people coming up with 1 is the way we learned it. At primary school we got taught that multiply has to be done before dividing. That rule is only based on an agreement and is different from the international rule.

So untill googling it when kevin asked me on irc, I didnt even know that rule wasnt valid anymore since not a single math teacher told me otherwise in my life :D
Parent
I'm pretty sure you got confused somewhere.. because there is no such thing as an agreement here, math is math, unless.. you must have had extremely bad teachers through your entire school time (i.e. professors that came after the one that taught you that way). If you managed to finish the whole elementary and high school without facing math problems where you'd keep getting wrong results using that "agreement", then something is really wrong with your schools. :D
Parent
well the rule for math(different from the international rules) in NL was that we had to multiply before dividing (sort of a trick that was used by everyone its in dutch so useless to explain to you) and that was the accepted norm in NL.

Since I guess like 2003 or so that rule we used isnt valid anymore because as u stated it is incorrect. The problem is that everyone in NL uses that rule and there never has been a "big" message that it is incorrect so most people dont even know it is incorrect and just use the way it got taught to them
Parent
is it meant to be: 6/2*(2+1)? then it should be 9 ;)
It's 1..
6:2 = 3
1+2 = 3
3*3 = 9
I got 9. When I try it the other way it seems Argentina messi.
The division is just an inversed multiplication, so if you had:

6/2 = 3
6 * 1/2 = 3

Back to the actual calculation:

6÷2 (1+2) = ?

So, it's 6 * 1/2*(1+2)
= 3*3 = 9

or

= 6 * ½ * 3
= 6 * 1½
= 9

So my previous conclusion was apparently incorrect, I think it's 9 now :D
it is 9.. but this debate is stupid anyways...
Brackets first.

6/2*3
=
3*3=9
because
5-7+3=1 and not -5
Obviously it's 9. anyone who thinks otherwise is a fucking dumbass!
6
_ * (2+1)

2

<=>

3 * 3 = 9

e: but what when you do it distributive way? like this a × (b + c) = ab + ac.

6÷2 (1+2) = ?
6/(2*1+2*2)= ?
= 1

or is it like this?

6÷2 (1+2) = ?
6/2+4 = ?
3+4 = 7


PLZ RESCUE ME FROM THIS SITUATION
I think nobody in this journal is more confused than you. :D
Parent
Quote6÷2 (1+2) = ?
6/2+4 = ?


hahaha :D how about we swap the bracket's contents order?

6÷2(2+1)
would you say it's 6÷4+2 ? :). (btw why are you changing symbol "÷" to "/"? :]).
what you did is: you started x(a+b)=xa+xb, but in the middle of the process, you decided to use xa in some external operation. that's wrong, because to remain logical, this should be written this way
6÷2(1+2)
6÷(2+4)
That's also why you are told to do brackets first. First means BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE.

Also see my note on "÷" and "/" signs.
Parent
Quote6÷(2+4)
That's also why you are told to do brackets first. First means BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE.

so is it 6÷6 = 1 ?
Parent
In that case, yes. But the point is, if you want to distribute something over the bracket, you can't distribute 2. You have to distribute 6/2.

6/2*(1+2) <- because you first exert division, because it's on the left, and then mulitplication, because it's on the right.
6/2*1 + 6/2*2
3*1 + 3*2
3+6
9

or you can sum up the bracket first - no difference in score. 6/2*3 = 3*3 = 9.

edit: You could only distribute 2 over the bracket if the statement was 6/(2(1+2))
Parent
yesyes now i remember ;D
Parent
LOL It's (3!*6)/4... go to school retards
The main problem for many of you is the fact that you failed to see is that the author used "÷" sign, which is not the same as "/". If you write somewhere "1/2", you think of it as a fraction. That's the meaning of this sign.

6÷2(1+2) is not the same as 6/2(1+2).

6÷2(1+2)
6÷2*(1+2)
3*(1+2)
3+6 (if you x(a+b)=xa+xb) or simpler 3*3 (as we don't have variables).
9

6/2(1+2) means 2(1+2) is denominator, while 6 is nominator.
6/2*3 or 6/2+4
6/6
1

Too bad google's calculator can't differentiate "÷" from "/". Too bad it's a sign on all keyboards. Calculators would need you to use fractions function (those who have it :s). Simple pressing division sign will make it "÷", not "/".

Or are these signs the other way around?
No.. the signs are same..
Parent
why would you need two signs meaning the same?
what i wrote has a sense when we talk about inline text. we only have some stupid ascii combinations for expressing limited fractions, like 1/2, 1/3, etc., so that differentation would be helpful.
Parent
If it were the case that 2(1+2) was a denominator and 6 the nominator it would've been written 6/(2(1+2)). Iirc C handles math this way too.
Parent
yeah i think so too, now :).
Parent
ok so let's say the signs are the same.
does the lack of * between 2 and the bracket make a difference? like... do we need to do x(a+b)=xa+xb before dividing left of "/" by right of "/"?
Parent
it is confusing what you're asking me.. it depends on whether you consider both signs to be fraction or division
Parent
yeah i understand now. the main problem is what they said in the link you posted below - ambiguity that derives from the limited capability of inline computer text.
Parent
I think x(a+b)=xa+xb mostly refers to variables. I failed math in school though, so I'm not really an authority on that subject (I just had to repeat all that for university last semester, so I'm not totally clueless either)
Parent
obviously, it is useful only when we have variables, but even if we don't have variables it brings the same score.
Parent
If we'd apply it to this problem it'd be:
6/2(1+2)
6/2+4
3+4
7

So I'm pretty much more confused than I was before.
Parent
no, see my reply to lago.
what you did is: you started x(a+b)=xa+xb, but in the middle of the process, you decided to use xa in some external operation. that's wrong, because you have to finish the operation first. to remain logical, this should be written this way:
6÷2(1+2)
6÷(2+4)
Why I think this is logical? Because we could very well swap the order of the bracket's content, like:
6÷(2+1)
6÷(4+2) <- the result has to be in brackets, because it can be done xa+xb or xb+xa :).
That's, again, ambigous :).

edit: if you'd like to do do the division, you would have to do it before or after fully completed transition from x(a+b) to (xa+xb).

edit2: again, this is only the problem of limited capabilities of maths done in inline text you can type on the basic html page :).
Parent
True, it would be 1 though. Still confused.
Parent
if we consider "÷" as a division rather than fraction (and the lack of parentheses around "2 (1+2)" gives no right to presume it's a fraction), we cannot do this inversion at all, because we first need to divide 6 by 2.
Parent
Ah okay. This is oddly educational for crossfire, really.
Parent
Considering the spaces, it should be 9 imo.
Might be read as 6 ÷ 2(1+2), which is 1.

I don't know if there are any rules regarding the correct formulation in this type of texts.
i don't think spaces matter.
Parent
no it doesn,'t you must read an exercice from left to right and when you encounter brackets you first solve them before going on with your previous resoning.
it's 9 and you're def right.
Parent
They shouldn't, you would have to use ( and [ to be sure. But as far as I know there are no rules for math problems formulated in this limiuted format. Spaces could make it more clear which parts belong together, in the same way it does for language.

So as far as improvising go, they could matter.
Parent
yes, they may help the formula being more readable, but they cannot change the meaning of formula.
putting space there, like: "6 / 2(1+2)" cannot change the fact that you have to divide first and then multiply (left to right) :-).
Parent
It can be seen as 6 / (2.(1+2)) which means different rules apply if I'm not mistaken?
Parent
well that's my point: 6 / 2(1+2) can be seen as 6 / (2(1+2)) only if you put these extra brackets there (that's why you would put them there, to change the real meaning), not spaces.

in programming, spaces don't matter. even looking at html, <a><b></b></a> is the same as if you put thousands of spaces and newlines between any of the signs.
Parent
Sort of my point though. Since there are no rules for math on facebook format, who says you need the brackets.

Anyways, pointless discussion :DD
Parent
Syn ERROR
how the hell is "1" possible? oO
it would be possible if we were sure that 6 is nominator and 2*(1+2) is denominator.
Parent
Poll Please
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