My thought process: if I had 8÷(4+4) = 1 and factored out a 2, I get 8÷2(2+2) = 1. However, if I say 2(2+2) = 2*(2+2), then 8÷2(2+2) = 8÷2*(2+2) = 1, BUT 8÷2*(2+2) = 16.
Please help I’m feeling dumber by the second
In: Mathematics
Figure out the sum to the right of the divided symbol first. So, 2+2 =4, take 4 and times it by 2, now you have 8. So it is 8 divided by 8 which equals 1.
First do the parentheses.
(2+2)=4
But the first 2 is connected to the parentheses, so we follow through.
2(2+2)=2×4=8 or 2(2+2)=(4+4)=8
Now we have 8÷8=1.
Order of operations: PEMDAS.
Parenthesis
Exponents
Multiplication
Division
Addition
Subtraction
Always in this order
It’s the order of operations. Stuff in parentheses is done first. Then, you do any multiplication or division, and finally any addition or subtraction. If there are multiple addition/subtraction or multiplication/division operations, work them rightmost to leftmost. For your example, here’s how it goes:
8÷2(2+2)
Do the stuff in parentheses, and you get:
8÷2(4)
Do the first multiplication (that is, 2*4):
8÷8
And the last division (8÷8) gives you:
1
÷ is an antiquated symbol and should no longer be used in this context.
This is where ALL of the issues with these problems come from.
The problem is irrelevant, the whole point of these is to use a math symbol “÷” in a shitty way to confuse people. Especially because that symbol is absolutely NOT meant to be used in this type of more complex equation. It’s not meant for this type of equation and is specifically regarded that it should no longer be used in this type of equations.
In other words, whomever gave you this equation you should tell them to suck your balls
Edit: because other morons are calling out PEMDAS, this does do PEMDAS, but you misinterpret the ÷ symbol and just call out PEMDAS without understand what that symbol means or why there would be confusion. The ÷ means all items to the right of it are in the divisor, ALL of them, no matter what. It’s a shitty symbol, it should not be used like this, its only to screw with people. You’ll quickly notice all of these “confusing” problems are ones that incorporate the ÷, specifically because its a symbol that is not meant to be used, and only leads to confusion
so
8÷2(2+2) = 8 / (2*(2+2))
[see ALL of the numbers to the right of ÷ are in the divisor, and this is a more understandable and equal equation, and the equation should NEVER have been written the other way!]
It’s easy to see there that you get
8 / (2*4) = 8 / 8 = 1
The important thing here is that 2(2+2) is touching which means that whole thing is to be interpreted as one number, unlike 2 (2+2), which is ambiguous. With that established we can rewrite the equation to look something like this:
8
_______ = 1
2(2+2)
You simplify the denominator to be 8 and the whole thing becomes 8/8 = 1.
8÷2(2+2) is not 1
parens first
=8÷2(4)
then multiply and divide from left to right.
=4*4
=16 is answer.
Reading all these comments (knowing I’ll get downvoted for the the next few words I just dont care) people in this country have gone fucking retarded. The answer is 16 not 1. This is a very simple math problem.
Use the method called BODMAS, the mathematical equations are solved in this manner.
Brackets >Of >Division >Multiplication >Addition >Subtraction
Brackets- (2+2) = (4)
Of- 2(4) = 8
Division – 8÷8 = 1
It’s not, it’s 16.
First, I don’t think anyone debates that we should do the parentheses first, so we have 8÷2(4).
So let’s just make that last operation an explicit multiplication, 8÷2*4
So then you remember pemdas from elementary school. But then you remember later in elementary school that multiplication and division are the same operation, in the same way that addition and subtraction are the same. ie division by 2 is multiplication by 0.5 and subtracting 1 is adding -1.
For this reason, multiplication and division are performed as they come from left to right, neither taking priority over the other. If you had 8-2+4 you do the subtraction and then the addition and get 10, not 2.
So here we do the division to get 4 and then the multiplication to get 16.
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