if it is written:

48/2*(9+3)
then the answer is 288


if it is written:

48/2(9+3)
then the answer is 2

And if you dont think there is a difference between those 2 equations then we should all be happy you dont do math for a career.
because it would be short lived.

 

i still say its determined on if its presented in one row or two

 

This is like that damn airplane/treadmill question back when I was hanging out on R/C forums.

How do we get Mythbusters to prove this one :-)

 

The Distributive Property in Algebra:
Distributive Property states that the number and a sum are equal to the sum of the individual products of the addends and the number.
a (b + c) = ab + ac

Therefore it doesnt matter if it is 1 or 2 lines the distributive property still comes before standard multiplication and division

 

The line is just a different way if writing a division problem, so it doesnt change anything


Unless the line is under the whole equation, then everything above the line is divided by the the number under the line. As written I say 2 like I voted lol, I never trusted calculators no how lol

 

This is a problem that disproves the distributive property. Ergo you can not use it to solve this problem because it CHANGES the problem. You can not use a FALSE property and expect to archive a CORRECT answer.

 

the distibutive property is 2(9+3).
That is the parentheses.
The 2 has to be multiplied by both numbers.
2(9+3) = (18+6) = 24

Everyone that is getting 288 is changing the equation by adding the mulitplication sign 2*(9+3) which changes the equation and order of operations.

I have taken 4 years of university math and if you are answering the original question the answer is 2.

Here is solving it without adding any signs or messing with the order of operations.

48/2(9+3)
=48/(18+6)
=48/24
=2

now for the 288 is:

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

See how I added a multiplication sign for the second one but just solved the original equation for the first one without adding anything.

 

You're missing the point! You are using a false property to solve the equation. You can't do that and expect a correct answer. If the property was not false it could be applied without changing the answer or the order of operations.

 

i rather imagine this whole process is quite comparable to the manner in which politicians arrive at the "numbers" they choose to use.


**********

another question for all the "order of operations" fans:

4x ÷ 2x =

2x² or 2 ?



.

 

It's 2. You can't get x squared by dividing x by x.