Simple math equation

[Nathan]

Found this on Facebook, a lot of people are getting the wrong answer! What is your answer, and how did you calculate it?

 

[Becky1951]

-1.666666666666667?

 

[oldaunt]

Been many years, but I think 8. Always work the parentheses first.

 

[Pink Biz]

2

 

[seadoug]

I'd say 8 divided by 2 = 4, and 4 divided by 2 = 2. that would make my answer 4 divided by 2, which would be 2. I could be totally wrong, but then I will be in good company.

 

[Kaila]

2

(4-2) =2
that 2 X 2=4
8 divided by 4= 2

 

[Shalimar]

2

 

[Warrigal]

The answer is 8

First deal with the bracket: 4-2 is 2

The problem is then: 8 / 2 X 2

Next work from left to right

8/2 = 4 and 4 X 2 is 8

 

[Harry Le Hermit]

8÷2(4-2)=
8÷2(2)=
4(2)=
8

 

[Nathan]

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...

 

[Magna-Carta]

I would go with 8.

 

[SeniorBen]

It depends on the precedence rules. In Python it goes:
PEMDAS
P – Parentheses.
E – Exponentiation.
M – Multiplication.
D – Division.
A – Addition.
S – Subtraction

... in which case, the answer would be 2.
If you just went from left to right, the answer would be 8.

 

[Lawrence00]

The answer is 8

First deal with the bracket: 4-2 is 2

The problem is then: 8 / 2 X 2

Next work from left to right

8/2 = 4 and 4 X 2 is 8

Yep PEMDAS

 

[Magna-Carta]

I would say parentheses first, in the example given, so (4-2)=2

Then the devision 8/2 = 4

Then 4 multiplied by the result of the parentheses, which would be 4 multiplied by 2 = 8

Using BODMAS

 

[Pecos]

2

 

[jujube]

It's been a long, long time since high school, but I'm going with 8........which considering how bad I was at it, means it's probably 2.

 

[SeniorBen]

...

 

[Lawrence00]

Today's kids can just ask the internet to do their homework.

 

[sch404]

Before calculators came along we used parentheses. With calculators came the PEMDAS rule. Its confused everybody since.

 

[seadoug]

After watching this video I don't care anymore!

 

[Magna-Carta]

I would say parentheses first, in the example given, so (4-2)=2

Then the devision 8/2 = 4

Then 4 multiplied by the result of the parentheses, which would be 4 multiplied by 2 = 8

Using BODMAS

So according to my abacus...? Oh... hang on a minute, it has a bead missing.

 

[Harry Le Hermit]

After watching this video I don't care anymore!

A good explanation. I think some people consider one having priority over another, when it is Multiplication AND Division... left to right.
This rule applies in both PEMDAS and BODMAS. It is P, E, M&D, A&S, or B,O, D&M, A&S.

 

[SeniorBen]

This is what Bard gave me:

According to PEMDAS, we perform the operations in parentheses first. So, we evaluate 4 - 2 = 2. Then, we have 8 / 2(2). Since we have multiplication and division of equal precedence, we perform the operations from left to right. So, we evaluate 8 / 2 = 4. Then, we have 4(2) = 8. Therefore, the answer is 8.

So AI says that multiplication and division have equal precedence, so we just go from left to right.

 

[SeniorBen]

ChatGPT gave me an answer of 2!

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.

 

[Jace]

@Nathan..you are quite a guy