math problem

[bver_hunter]

The original has the division symbol, not / which creates the ambiguity. I would thing that in the original, the 2(2+2) is a mathematical phrase and would be done before the division as if it was 8/[2(2+2)]

This is the right way to interpret it. So the answer would be 1 for sure.

As OP has it as:

8 / 2 (2+2) = 8 / 2 X (2+2) = 1

For the answer to be 16, then the equation would be:

8 / 2 / (2+2) = [8 / 2] x (2+2) = 16

 

[Goodoer]

8 / 2 X (2+2) = 1

Completely disagree! You've just written up the equivalent of 4 x 4 - which is 16.

 

[bver_hunter]

Completely disagree! You've just written up the equivalent of 4 x 4 - which is 16.

Completely disagree with you with regards to this. This is what any Mathematician will tell you. Okay let me spell it out in an even more concise way.

It is:

8
___________ = 1

2 x (2+2)


For your equation to reach the conclusion of 16, it will have to be written as such:

= (8 / 2) X (2+2) = 16 or [(8/2) x (2+2)] = 16

In other words 2 (2+2) is always the same as 2 X (2+2) or 2 * (2+2) = 8

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EAmubUeWkAAM8Iw?format=jpg&name=small

https://heavy.com/news/2019/08/viral-math-problem-solution-answer/

 

[shakenbake]

If you treat the denominator [2(+2)] as a single term, the answer is clearly 1. As written, I don't know why anyone else would consider otherwise.

Also, the contents of the brackets must be multiplied by the 2 outside before division of (2+2) into the 8. This is known in math as implied multiplication of the result in the brackets by 2 before the entire mess is divided into 8. If one understands algebra, there is no ambiguity. Lehman, I agree with you.

 

[oldjones]

Completely disagree with you with regards to this. This is what any Mathematician will tell you. Okay let me spell it out in an even more concise way.

It is:

8
___________ = 1

2 x (2+2)


For your equation to reach the conclusion of 16, it will have to be written as such:

= (8 / 2) X (2+2) = 16 or [(8/2) x (2+2)] = 16

In other words 2 (2+2) is always the same as 2 X (2+2) or 2 * (2+2) = 8

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EAmubUeWkAAM8Iw?format=jpg&name=small

https://heavy.com/news/2019/08/viral-math-problem-solution-answer/

You're onto it beav. The question as written has more than one interpretation and thus more than one answer. It is not clear from the writing whether the (2+2) is supposed to multiply 8/2, or just the /2, and no PEMDAS BOMDAS sorts that out. Every time someone claims it does, someone else shows us it does not. So far, every demonstration requires re-writing the ambiguous formula to 'prove' there's only one right answer. And that's a cheat.

As you demonstrated yet again. But by re-writing the formula, you can make it clear and impossible to mistake whether the (2+2) is a term that multiplies the 8 or divides it. That's where the ambiguity is, and re-writing is the way out.

 

[Goodoer]

This is what any Mathematician will tell you.

Ha! I disagree with that opinion as well!

Math can be fun. I haven't touched Calculus, Finite nor really any Algebra for over 20 years.

 

[TeeJay]

You're onto it beav. The question as written has more than one interpretation and thus more than one answer. It is not clear from the writing whether the (2+2) is supposed to multiply 8/2, or just the /2, and no PEMDAS BOMDAS sorts that out. Every time someone claims it does, someone else shows us it does not. So far, every demonstration requires re-writing the ambiguous formula to 'prove' there's only one right answer. And that's a cheat.

Nope this is crystal clear
Only 1 interpretation and the others are dead wrong
I wrote out (above) the correct way to interpret it step by step making no spurious notations and some people are still arguing it was unclear

There only are a few possible interpretations of this equation and the arguments
1- It was deliberately written that way to confuse people who have weak math / reading skills
2- The person writing the equation does not know how to write the equation correctly to get the answer / interpretation they want

#1 seems way more likely

There is no way the equation as written could ever possibly equal 1
The division symbol ALWAYS has precedence over the multiplication symbol since it is written first

8 / 2 (2 + 2)
8 / 2 (4)

16 (or 10) are the only viable answers (and 10 would require an additional symbol to happen)