X+3/3, when x=3

1. May 19, 2009

Petenerd

2. May 19, 2009

CRGreathouse

Re: Pemdas

Division always happens before addition unless parentheses change the order. If they want addition first it should be written
(x+3)/3
or
$$\frac{x+3}{3}.$$

I'm not entirely sure I like the abbreviation PEMDAS, though. The order is
P
E
MD
AS
which could easily be forgotten in that form.

3. May 20, 2009

Petenerd

Re: Pemdas

The funny thing is on the sample answer it doesn't follow PEMDAS. Do you think the other questions like that will follow PEMDAS? Because when I followed PEMDAS to do the problem, there wasn't a choice for my answer which was 4. :uhh:

4. May 20, 2009

CRGreathouse

Re: Pemdas

Yes. I think it's more likely that the question was changed but not the answer, then that someone used the wrong order of operations in setting up the question. (This actually happens more than you realize!)

5. May 20, 2009

Petenerd

Re: Pemdas

I think I got the hang of this now!

6. May 20, 2009

Hurkyl

Staff Emeritus
Re: Pemdas

Just checking... that is exactly what the problem said, right? The expression was

$$x + 3 / 3$$

and it was not

$$(x + 3) / 3$$

and it was not

$$\frac{x+3}{3}$$

?

7. May 20, 2009

Petenerd

Re: Pemdas

I think the question meant $$\frac{x+3}{3}$$, instead of $$x+\frac{3}{3}$$.

8. May 20, 2009

Petenerd

Re: Pemdas

If the question meant this $$\frac{x+3}{3}$$, I would add first then divide?

9. May 20, 2009

CRGreathouse

Re: Pemdas

Yes.

10. May 20, 2009

Irrational

Re: Pemdas

i think that unless the assessment is to test PEMDAS (first time i heard of that actually), then giving something like x+3/3 is just lazy. however, if i was given that, i would have assumed it meant (x+3)/3. no reason why someone would actually put 3/3 in an equation unless the intention was to trick.

11. May 20, 2009

Petenerd

Re: Pemdas

Thanks for the help! :)