Originally Posted by
bruce negro
ATTENTION PLEASE. Read the below before posting any other bull.
ALRIGHT. I've figured out why, without a doubt, 2 is the right answer.
The argument about this problem has gone many places, but I think one of the places where it went wrong was with HoldenMichael (no offense). After watching some pr0n, I thought again about this problem with a clear head, and the answer is apparent.
Here, HoldenMichael tells us why ÷ and / are not the same thing:
Originally Posted by
holdenmichael
No, 48÷2 is spoken as 48 divided by 2.
48/2 is spoken as 48 halves.
Just because both 48 halves are 2 wholes and 48 divided by 2 equals 2 doesn't mean that the symbols for division and fraction are interchangeable in an equation. One is the addition of fractions of a whole ("I have 48 halves.") and the other is the division of a dividend (4
by a divisor (2; "I took away half of my 48.").
I've only read the first page and the last two pages so the sample size is small, but I have yet to read an opinion that would dissuade me from my belief that:
48÷2=48/2
48÷2(9+3)â 48/2(9+3)
After my immediate refutation, I reconsidered this and thought he was right. HOWEVER, I realized soon afterwards that they are indeed the same, and here is why:
The problem states: 48÷2(9+3). We already proved that through distribution, this problem can be written as 48÷((2*9)+(2*3)). This then simplifies to 48÷(18+6), which simplifies to 48÷(24), which is equal to 2.
NOW, we have the issue of, "What if you interpret this as a fraction?" Above, HoldenMichael writes 48/2, and that makes sense.... but the real problem is that
Holden forgets to write the rest of the problem in the denominator. There is nothing that separates the (9+3) from being in the denominator along with the 2. So in reality, if one would look at the ÷ as a / sign, the problem would look like this:
48
----
2(9+3)
This would then simplify to
48
----
2(12)
Then
48
----
(24)
Which is equal to
2.
We have now proven that the answer is 2, 2 different ways solidly. We have also given valid reasons and proof as to why calculators and other mathematical engines are unreliable. These methods also are not based on whether Multiplication goes before Division, which I think we are all now in consensus that it doesn't. If you would like to argue further, please disprove both of these methods.