48/2(9+3) = ?
- Thread starter benny z
- Start date
- Tagged users None
eh- i wouldn't blame anyone but the education system- I may be a math guy, but I'm also/was a high school dropout. If I had never gone back into school, I probably would be very mathematically well, illiterate (compared to my current knowledge level, which is still on the extremely low end.) Heck, it wasn't till a few years into my college education that I had a teacher who was actually able to answer why X^7/(X^7) = X^0 = 1 Up till that teacher, all the others had only been able to say "well, it just is" or point at the book.
johnanddawn
Valuable Member
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2006
- Messages
- 1,104
- Reaction score
- 156
- agreed this is the answer and as i read through the posts i actually had trouble understanding the other answer (yet the poll shows many do get 2)
it seems so obvious that after the parenthesis left to right with multiplication and division having equal status - so divide first because it is to the left of the multiplication ie 48/2*12 = 288
its odd that so many think multiplication has priority over division
and as far as those who wanted to do the fraction thing its the same answer again
48/1 * 1/2 * 12/1 = 288
I think majority of people still don't consider multiplication and division as the same operation- they view it as two different ones. Same with subtraction/addition. I think the PEDMAS rule sort of ingrains some bad habits at a young age, and takes awhile to de-program.
CJO
Valuable Member
That's a great way to represent it.
One of my kids is in the third grade and is studying the order of operations. I had trouble explaining a similar problem to her.
CJ
I agree, I believe that division should be taught as multiplying by a fraction (what it is) before being taught as division. I think the problem with math education these days is the people teaching often don't understand where the math came from and how it is truly used. I believe that a requirement for teaching should be experience working in a field the subject is applied. That way kids can see how it really effects their lives, which might interest more kids in the maths and sciences.
However fields that apply mathematics and sciences pay MUCH more than a teachers salary, which would make it much harder to "recruit" teachers.
Brandon
Well what I meant was, the requirement should be that they work in a field that provides them with a better insight of the subject they are teaching. I guess a kindergarten or third grade teacher could develop their math skills as a cashier at jiffy lube, but to teach a little higher level (algebra, calculus and beyond if offered at a junior high/ high school) would require a job a little more in depth than basic addition and multiplication. Plus I assume parents would want their children taught math by a person with a little higher education than that of a crap job.
Just sayin,
Brandon
Billgax
Active Member
Btw, a high school math teacher I had was limited to student teaching as her only prior work experience. Jiffy Lube would've done her wonders...
Nobody gave a rip beyond that she had a degree...
Nobody gave a rip beyond that she had a degree...
That is what I'm talking about, problem with our education system...no specific branch or sub branch. Just most teachers don't have a true understanding of what they are teaching, in all subjects. Work experience along with the degree would be extremely beneficial.
At the end of my career I am going to teach math and physics to the young minds of the future. Hopefully demonstrating how it applies to their lives and stimulating the imaginations of young innovators. I will be able to teach from a view point that most teachers just don't have.
288 is correct.
Here's an explination of order of operations from my college algebra book:
"1) Do all calculations within groups symbols before operations outside." In other words, do the ()'s or []'s first.
"2) Evaluate All exponential expressions." i.e. 10 to the 5th power...not used here.
"3) Do all multiplications and divisions in order from left to right" <-- this is where people are getting hung up on this problem. There is no rule that states to do multiplication before division or the opposite. Treat these as 1 type of math since division is basically the opposite of multiplication.
"4 Do all additions and subtractions in order from left to right"
To double/triple/quadruple check, I found very similar answers in this book that would show that 288 is the correct answer.
Enjoy.
Here's an explination of order of operations from my college algebra book:
"1) Do all calculations within groups symbols before operations outside." In other words, do the ()'s or []'s first.
"2) Evaluate All exponential expressions." i.e. 10 to the 5th power...not used here.
"3) Do all multiplications and divisions in order from left to right" <-- this is where people are getting hung up on this problem. There is no rule that states to do multiplication before division or the opposite. Treat these as 1 type of math since division is basically the opposite of multiplication.
"4 Do all additions and subtractions in order from left to right"
To double/triple/quadruple check, I found very similar answers in this book that would show that 288 is the correct answer.
Enjoy.
Is this a trick question? The simple ones normally are. I got 288 as my answer
gnoles
Equipment Junkie
Actually, I presented this one to my math teacher wife (7th - 12th). She got 288. Then proceeded to tell me if I wanted to get 2 as an answer, I'd have to change the problem as presented.
As I read her the above quotes... she said, "WHAT!?!?!" Thanks Drain & Nixer, she's aggravated at someone other than me today!
Last edited:
gnoles
Equipment Junkie
This FTW! Lots of shallow instruction in the topic rather than prolonged and deep instruction that will generate true understanding.
Similar threads
