Poll

3.6÷2(2+1)+8-2.5=?

Only registered users are allowed to vote for this poll.
32 votes were received.

6.1	16		50%
10.9	12		38%
0.31304...	3		9%
none of the above	1		3%

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I think this question has the potential to blow up the Internet.

Two math teachers have each arrived at a different answer. The Symbolab web site suggests a third.

Are there hidden ways to decode the Order of Operations (BEDMAS, PEMDAS, or other) to justify your choice?

thanks, Todd's open-to-persuasion board

With my weak math skills from a time long ago and far away I get... 10.9

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Mr. Lahey: A lot of people, don’t know how to drink. They drink against the grain of the liquor. And when you drink against the grain of the liquor? You lose.

Randy: What the @#$%& are you talking about?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/13/2022 04:56PM by Rick-o.

I got 6.1

Brackets first
Then division or multiplication, whichever comes first (in left-to-right order)
After the above are done, addition and/or subtraction, whichever comes first (<- which probably doesn’t matter).

PS- 10.9 here. And just to be clear, anyone that disagrees with what I was taught is wrong.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/13/2022 05:03PM by pdq.

I answered 6.1, but I forgot that in PEMDAS, it's multiplication OR division, whichever comes first. Answer should be 10.9, both Google and Wolfram Alpha agree with that.

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Freya says, 'Hello from NOLA, baby!' (Laissez bon temps rouler!)

These are more about poorly stated problems than math.

I picked "none of the above" just to be contrary.

(But it's 10.9.)

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/13/2022 05:29PM by Tiangou.

42.

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Edited 999 time(s). Last edit at 12:08PM by jdc.

0.31304...

3.6 / 2X3 + 5.5 =
3.6 / 6 + 5.5 =
3.6 / 11.5 =
0.31304

I think this is right.

Fred



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/13/2022 06:01PM by Fred_Also.

Nobody is answering "gold" or "blue"? (old woman/young woman) (duck/rabbit)

Should anyone feel particularly bold, see what Symbolab.com has to say.

10.9

Though my intuition is to do all of 2(2+1) first and then proceed. However 2(2+1) is the same as 2 * (2.1) so the operation should proceed as:

3.6÷2(2+1)+8-2.5

3.6÷2*(2+1)+8-2.5

3.6÷2*3+8-2.5

1.8*3+8-2.5

5.4+8-2.5

13.4-2.5

10.9

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“Live your life, love your life, don’t regret…live, learn and move forward positively.” – CR Johnson
Loving life in Lake Tahoe, CA

3.6÷2(2+1)+8-2.5=?
Needs two changes:
1. Replace ÷ by / (divide)
2. Insert * (multiply) between the first occurrence of '2' and the left parenthesis '('

In Terminal.app, use the Unix 'bc' calculator to evaluate the expression:

$ bc
3.6/2*(2+1)+8-2.5
10.90000000000000000000
^D
$

Note that trailing zeroes are not significant in the answer

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=TC

10.9
Lew Zealand's method is mine as well.

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San Antonio, TX (in the old city)


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Quote
Lux Interior
These are more about poorly stated problems than math.

It looks like it is sloppily written on purpose to reinforce one specific school of thought in sequence of operations. CopyPasta into the URL bar gives:
((3.6/2) * (2+1)) + 8 - 2.5 = 10.9

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In tha 360. MRF User Map

6.1.

3.6÷6=0.6.

(I had to look up the keyboard combo to find the division symbol!)

0.6+8=8.6.

8.6-2.5=6.1.

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Resident Cardinal...








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All of the above.

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