Solving the Confusion: The Order of Operations in Basic Math Question Explained

[trustnoone]

Okay I saw this on Facebook not long ago and I'm just confused with a really simple question.

The question is basically
6/2(1+2)

Now using my head I get 9, using wolfram alpha I get 9 and also Google gives me 9.

But then I place this into all 3 of my calculators I get the answer of 1.
I'm assuming this is because it does the 2(1+2) part first and then divides 6/6 to get 1.
And I also placed brackets around it to get (6/2)(1+2) which gets me the answer of 9 (thus assuming that it does do it that way).

But shouldn't the order of operations go from left to right? in terms of the multiplication and division?? Am I looking at this wrong?

 

[Number Nine]

Read the sticky at the top of the general math forum.

 

[chiro]

Hey trustnoone and welcome to the forums.

In short the answer is BODMAS (Brackets Division Multiplication Addition Subtraction)

Basically evaluate all the bracketed terms first and then use the DMAS rules.

Inner brackets get evaluated before outer brackets, but in the end once you evaluate the brackets then you just evaluate the expression using the DMAS ordering.

It doesn't fail and its easy to remember :)

Also if you use things other than arithmetic (like exponentiation) then you need to adjust for that as well.

 

[micromass]

Please read: https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=494675

Thread closed.

 

[CellCoree]

I can explain the confusion regarding the order of operations in this basic math question. The order of operations, also known as PEMDAS (Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division, Addition and Subtraction), is a set of rules that dictate the order in which mathematical operations should be performed in an equation. In this case, the confusion arises from the fact that both multiplication and division have the same level of precedence, meaning they should be performed from left to right.

In the equation 6/2(1+2), both the division and multiplication symbols are present, so the order of operations becomes crucial. According to the PEMDAS rule, we first solve the parentheses, giving us 6/2(3). Then, from left to right, we perform the multiplication and division operations, giving us 3(3) = 9. This is the correct answer, as seen from your calculations using Wolfram Alpha and Google.

However, when the equation is entered into a calculator, the calculator follows a different set of rules known as the order of operations for calculators. In this case, the calculator will perform the multiplication and division operations from left to right, giving us 6/6 = 1. This is why your calculators are giving you an answer of 1 instead of 9.

In conclusion, the confusion arises from the difference in the order of operations used in traditional mathematics and calculators. As a scientist, it is important to understand the rules and conventions used in different fields, and in this case, it is important to remember the correct order of operations when solving mathematical equations.