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Order of operations>>>>>>>>>>>>> Nested parentheses(or brackets), parentheses, exponents, roots, multiplication, division, addition, subtraction.
Multiplication/division and addition subtraction follow the order of operations. Use the left to right rule when mult/div or add/sub are grouped together.
I haven't read the whole thread, but in my humble opinion the answer has to be 288. Since the problem is poorly written, and you have to strictly follow order of operations. The 2(9+3) is in reality a shorthand method of writing 2 X (9+3). So the the full equation written out is 48 ÷ 2 X (9+3). This then becomes 48 ÷ 2 X 12, which is a very simple left to right calculation.
There is no victory, there is being right and there is being wrong. If you can't use the simple search utilities of this board to see my posts in this topic, then it is not a surprise your position on the issue of this topic is as such.
Since it was so long ago, where have you been hiding? Did you just come out of a long slumber? Maybe you were you serving some time. Is that where you developed your charming personality?
I haven't read the whole thread, but in my humble opinion the answer has to be 288. Since the problem is poorly written, and you have to strictly follow order of operations. The 2(9+3) is in reality a shorthand method of writing 2 X (9+3). So the the full equation written out is 48 ÷ 2 X (9+3). This then becomes 48 ÷ 2 X 12, which is a very simple left to right calculation.
This has been the problem all along. The equation has been intentionally written following two different notation conventions so as to introduce this ambiguity for the purposes of entertainment - IOW, it's a trick question, and trick questions are fun, as exhibited by this dead and buried thread. You can even order T-shirts, coffee mugs, and mouse pads with this very equation on it. There is a reason for that. After all, who would buy a T-shirt with 2+2=4 on it?
Last edited by PanTerra; 06-04-2012 at 02:12 PM..
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