Simple math equation

SeniorBen said:
ChatGPT gave me an answer of 2! :ROFLMAO:

To use PEMDAS (or BEDMAS) precedence rules, we perform the operations in the following order:

Parentheses
Exponents
Multiplication and Division (from left to right)
Addition and Subtraction (from left to right)
Using this order, we evaluate the expression:

8 / 2(4 - 2)

First, we simplify the expression inside the parentheses:

8 / 2(2)

Next, we perform the division:

8 / 4

Finally, we perform the multiplication:

2

Therefore, the answer is 2.
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Except you left out a step. You went from 8÷2(2), which left to right should yield 4(2). which results in 8.
 
SeniorBen said:
No, with PEMDAS, the answer is 2. Multiplication goes before division.
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No. Common mistake. In Australian schools we were taught BODMAS.
Multiplication does not take precedence over division. Nor vice versa.

The rule is multiplication and division operations are performed in the order they appear from left to right but before doing any additions/subtractions. Brackets are taken care of first of all.
SeniorBen said:
Not if multiplication has precedence over division, in which case it would be 8 ÷ 4 = 2.
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But it doesn't.
 
Just remember that multiplication and division are really the same type of operation. One is repeated addition by the number of groups indicated and the other is repeated subtraction with the number of subtractions giving you the groups. Or, in math terms, they are inverse operations of each other. So they are on the same level, just as addition and subtraction are on the same level.
 
Python in Windows gave me an answer of 8, so it's treating multiplication and division as having equal precedence and performing the division before the multiplication.

Let's see what C++ does... ah, I don't have a C++ compiler on this computer
 
Nathan said:
Well I think we all agree to work the bracket(4-2 which equals 2), From there that product should be multiplied by 2, since the 2 is adjacent to the parenthesized equation. That equals 4. finally, the 8 gets divided by 4(eg: 8/4) which equals 2.

Edit: using a calculator tapping out 8÷2 x 2 does equal 8... :unsure:
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The calculator knows best in this case. 😄
 
Warrigal said:
The calculator knows best in this case. 😄
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This is because a scientific calculator (or a computer) uses the correct order of operations. But note, however, that a simple dime store calculator will often do these operations strictly from left to right and give the incorrect answer. In this case, due to the parentheses, the dime store calculator could not even be used. But, for a problem like 8+3x2, the simple calculator would give you an incorrect answer of 22.
 
Going out on a limb here ... I always do on those FB math things, too... (I detest math!) but the answer I got was 8. Knowing my history with these things, I'm pretty sure it's not that simple. So you gonna tell us what the solution was, @Nathan ? Or maybe you did already... I didn't want to read the thread first. If you've given the answer and it's not 8, I'll be a good girl and not delete this. 🤭
 
In my day, we did not use brackets, etc. Our math was straight forward and not ridiculously inundated with so called teaching us how to resolve complicated problems. Algebra took care of that.
 
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