An "easy" Math problem!!

[Stopwatch]

Huh? But I was taught BIDMAS and I got 1. If you do the brackets first then you're left with 6/6 which is 1, I'm confused...

[Guest Hajime Kindaichi]

.

[Kaitou Kid Legendary Thief]

The trick is that some people take 2(3) as (2(3))

but if you write the entire equation out, it will look like this 6/2x(1+2).

According to mathematics, you do from left to right and division and multiplication are supposedly of the same level and addition and subtraction are of the same level.

So we do division first before multiplication.

So the answer is 9.

However, the equation is written as 6/2(1+2) instead of 6/2x(1+2).

Since this equation can be interpreted as 6/(2x(1+2)) too

so it is not wrong to have the answer 1.

Also, the calculator will take 2(1+2) as bracketed -> (2x(1+2)) so the answer you get from calculator will be 1.

[Anti-APTX4869]

Well, nouse in explaining cuz it's just the way how people loook at things first.

Even the calculator works the same way.

[X-x-chyeah-Kaito-Kid-x-X]

umm, i got 9...

[kuroba kaitou]

For me the answer is 1... I just followed the rules in answering math equations

But I don't think I'll need this for my everyday life... ha ha...I'm not gonna be an engineer anyway...JOKE!!!

Nah!!! But answering these sort of equation is fun

[Miss Smiles]

6/2(1+2)

If we ignore algebra and do it straightforward (BIDMAS) the answer will be about the whole group.

If we do PENDAS, answer will be different. how so?

6/6

we get two groups. later it have indices of 6 with 0 written above. the answer of 6 with indices of 0 is 1!

so refer to this answer you understand better:

BIDMAS way,

answer is 6

PENDAS way,

answer is 1

there are two 6s if count in PENDAS way because there's indices.

ADDED:

It's a bit complicated.

there are two 6s.

There is arithmetic way which is 6.

When count PENDAS, you get two answer. 6=6 becomes 6/6

one set has 6

6 with indices of 0 is 1

[Noir]

This is why I hate linear equations. It depends on how you would write it off.

If it's written as:

... the answer is 1.

If it's written as:

... the answer is 9.

**** YOU LINEAR EQUATIONS.

[Miss Smiles]

well it depends on question and the approach the examiner use to write the question. If the test is about algebra (PENDAS) the answer is 1

[Metantei Kiddo]

My explanation is:

2 + 1 is enclosed; meaning this should be solved first so the answer is 3 then follow the MDAS rule(States that you should solve it by left to right if there is only multiplication and division) 6 ÷ 2(3);hence the answer is 9

Its simple if you use the laws of math

[PhiBrainChild]

The solution is "9" I guess. Math operation priorities should go like this:

1) Division

2) Multiplication

3) Addition and Subtraction

* And always solve the brackets first

6/2*(1+2) = 6/2*3 = 3*3 = 9

Well, my comment is pretty much useless since it's solved a long time ago.

[Forever Lost]

I think the problem is not the order of operations entirely, but the way you do it. It's supposed to be the order of operations (PEMDAS) but then, left to right. That comes in handy in these situations where technically there are more than one multiplication sets going on.. so starting from the left, you get three, then three times three going to the right through the problem.

Someone probably already said that but whatever >3> *the one time in life where I feel smart in math..*

[PhiBrainChild]

Well yea, I guess that explanation would be the correct one. Tho I tend to solve math problems left to right mechanically, so I didn't think of it as a rule.

[Rye]

9. PEMDAS.

[snowflake]

^that.

[detective-db]

same with Rye ^^

it's 9

[Anti-APTX4869]

If you use the order of operations one way and the other, it will come out 9 or 1.

you can think of something like this..

If you simplify first, (or solve from left to right).

6/2(1+2)

=3(3)

=9

If you use distributive property on 2(1+2) first,

6/2(1+2)

=6/(2+4)

=6/(6)

=1

Either way is actually correct when the equation is in 6/2(1+2) form only.

It really depends on how you like to solve them.

If you solve left to right, 9. If you distribute, 1.

So... why are there 2 different answers?

Well, personally I will say 9 is more... correct.(I'm not an English major. sorry;)

Here's my explanations of why there can be two answers.

If you read it, you'll know why I say it's 9.

If 6/2 was a fraction, the answer will always be 9.

Just look. You can solve it in 2 ways and still get the same answer.

simplify (left to right)

(6/2)(1+2)

=3+6

=9

or distribute

(6/2)(1+2)

=3*3

=9

HOWEVER... The answer can only be 1 if the equation was written like this.

6

------- ...yes. fraction form.

2(1+2)

The reason I say that 9 is (more) correct is because...

Well, if you write fraction form out, it should be written as...

6/[2(1+2)]

so if you try to solve it,

Distributive property

6/[2(1+2)]

6/[2+4]

6/[6]

1

or

Simplify (left to right, Parenthesis and Brackets first.)

6/[2(1+2)]

6/[2(3)]

6/[6]

1

Because the [bracket] blocks 6 being divided by the 2 from [2(1+2)], the answer can never be 9.

...meaning, it's not 6/2 anymore.

Since the bracket is needed to get the answer 1, I say that 9 is (more) correct.

There's simply no 'trick' behind this. It's just something people over look.

[Rye]

^ True. But that would happen IF you didn't use PEMDAS. I mean, my Math teacher told me that if only Division and Multiplication/ Addition and Subtraction are the only...what would you say...operations ledft, or TWO INVERSE OPERATIONS, you would neglect PEMDAS nad solve from left to right.

BUT..

If there is another operation involved other than the two inverse operations, let's say, Division, Multiplication, Addition like this one, you would have to follow PEMDAS to obtain the correct answer.

For EXAMPLE:

Inverse Operations ONLY

> Multiplication & Division:

6/3 x 2

YOU NEED TO SOLVE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT.

So, the proper way of solving would be this:

6/3 x 2

= 2 x 2 <<< Solve from left to right.

= 4

So, the final answer is four.

However, if you choose to follow PEMDAS when it comes to this, you would get a different result.

PEMDAS

6/3 x 2

6/6 << Multiplication first.

1

And the final answer would be one.

Inverse Operations + Another Operation.

> Let's say, Multiplication, Division, Addition, like this problem we have right now.

6/2(1 + 2)

= 6/2(3) ---- Solve within the parentheses first. PEMDAS

---- Since only two operations are left, Multiplication and Division, which are inverse operations, you would have to solve FROM LEFT TO RIGHT.

=6/2(3) Divide.

=3(3) Multiply.

= 9

The final answer is nine.

PEMDAS IS ONLY FOLLOWED WHEN THERE ARE MORE THAN TWO OPERATIONS IN AN EQUATION, OR ANOTHER OPERATION BESIDES INVERSE OPERATIONS ARE PRESENT. OR ELSE RESULTS WOULD BE DIFFERENT, CAUSING CONFUSION.

THIS IS THE RULE THAT MOST MATH STUDENTS OVERLOOK, CAUSING CONFUSION AND ERRORS.

And the Inverse Operations are:

Addition(+) and Subtraction(-)

Multiplication(x) and Division(÷)

THE FINAL ANSWER IS 9 AND NOT 1!

[Anti-APTX4869]

^ better explanation than mine! nice.

well I do say it's 9. I'm just saying 'if'.

I only showed the difference of getting two different answers from two different equations.

[Rye]

^ better explanation than mine! nice.

well I do say it's 9. I'm just saying 'if'.

I only showed the difference of getting two different answers from two different equations.

Yep. Just a simple mistake or neglection of rules in an equation can lead to a wrong answer.

[nis-aihara]

Well, I'm only 12, so. . . I think I'll go with 9.