- #1
okunyg
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Homework Statement
How would you convince a classmate that division is not associative?
By "associative" the book aims at the Associative properties of multiplication and addition.
Is this equation correct?
a/(b/c) = (a/b)/c
Homework Equations
a + (b + c) = (a + b) + c
a(bc) = a(bc)
a/(b/c) = (a/b)/c (?)
The Attempt at a Solution
The parenthesis' are top priority, and the arithmetic in it should be done first.
- This means that a/(b/c) yields a/<new number>.
- This means that (a/b)/c yields <new number>/c.
-- This means a/<new number> does _not_ equal <new number>/c.
Or can it?
I would like to solve it algebraically, but I don't know how. Is it possible to solve it with algebra? I mean, does it take more advanced mathematics or can I simply use basic algebra as a tool for solving this?
This is not homework actually, I'm trying to learn math by myself with the book Algebra and Trigonometry (Wesley 2007).
Thanks.