Comments on: Messy Math

By: Joe

Joe — Fri, 22 Jul 2016 17:54:33 +0000

Thank you Jared. People need to go back to math class.

By: vignesh

vignesh — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 16:59:05 +0000

Correct Jared. What tried to explain, u did it clearly!!!☺☺☺

By: Jared

Jared — Sun, 14 Feb 2016 02:46:23 +0000

Look guys, the original problem is written as 48 / 2(9+3). Note that the 2 and the (9+3) are TOUCHING, noting that they are being multiplied by each other. If the problem were written as “(48/2)(9+3)”, then the answer would be 288, because (9+3) would be multiplied by the entire fraction, and not the denominator. But (9+3) is in the denominator, and therefore the answer is 2.

By: Bonnie

Bonnie — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 20:44:18 +0000

The debate for this can go on and on and on, but the real problem isn’t the interpretation. The problem really is that whoever first came up with this riddle is being deliberately unclear. Both interpretations are valid if there is no context.

By: Dan

Dan — Fri, 08 Jan 2016 16:09:18 +0000

In reply to Craig. @Craig The PEMDAS convention is specific to the US.

By: Craig

Craig — Thu, 07 Jan 2016 21:35:21 +0000

I always thought it was PEMDAS but for Multiplication and Division (and Addition and Subtraction) it is was done in the order from left to right as you come upon them.

That would be:
48 / 2(9 + 3) = ?
48 / 2(12) (Parenthesis)
This is same as
48 / 2 * 12
You would do the division because it is first from left to right
24 * 12 = 288

If I am right that is the one and only correct answer.

By: Mark

Mark — Sat, 15 Aug 2015 01:47:29 +0000

It’s not 2. It’s 288.
1) original problem: 48 / 2(9 + 3)
2) Simplify what’s in parentheses first and get this: 48/2(12)
Brackets were not added underneath the division symbol so after you perform the operation in the parentheses you are left with 48/2(12). You have division and multiplication so you have to do whichever comes first from left to right. In this case you must divide first.

48/2(12)
24*12
288

By: Aravind

Aravind — Wed, 15 Jul 2015 16:12:23 +0000

Actually it is supposed to be 2.

Look:

Brackets first: which leave us with

48/(2×12)

Then division is done:

48/24=2.

Why it is not 2? Can somebody pleease explain?

By: Dan

Dan — Thu, 02 Apr 2015 19:23:54 +0000

In reply to Allison (mathematician). Hah! That was funny.

By: Allison (mathematician)

Allison (mathematician) — Thu, 02 Apr 2015 02:38:36 +0000

Oops. In really tired and out of it.

48 / 2 = 24
24 x 12
= 288

Sorry