6/2*(1+2)=?

Neapolitan · 04-30-2011, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoonlitSunshine

ahahahahahahaa... Man, that's a good one.

Ever heard of Heisenberg's Uncertainy Principle? That you cannot know both the location and velocity of an atomic particle at the same time? Or what about the "Schrodinger's Cat" paradox, which states that the cat is both alive and dead at the same time? It can't be both, because maths is hard facts, not multiple answers, right?

Even moving away from physics and into pure maths, x = 5 mod 6. What's x? Well, it's 5. It's also 11, and 16, and 365. In fact, it's 6n + 5, but without any information about n, you can't get a more accurate answer.

That's what's going on here. This is EXACTLY like a function with multiple possible values. Take a quadratic equation, like x^2 + 2x -3 = 0. "x" is both 3 and -1, right? You can't get one specific answer until you are given more information, like x>0. With this lovely equation, 6/2*(1+2) is both 1 and 9 unless more information about the order in which the multiplication and division should be done is given. Once the extra parentheses are added, the answer would be clear.
...rant

One thing about Mathematics is that it is always consistent, 2+2=4. The fault is not in the numbers or not necessarily the way the problem is written, nor is it the case that it is possible the equation is able to yields two different results. The problem is how one interprets the equation. "Schrödinger's Cat" is only a paradox when the box is closed. Once it is open then the answer is quite clear. Same with the equation, it is only a paradox when someone unaware of proceed with the function of the equation. The conventions in math are not arbitrary and put in place so it's possible the equation can yield two different answers. Once some one understand the rules involved in Algebra there isn't a paradox. If you open the box even Schrödinger's cat will say 6/2*(1+2)=9

When one takes the problem 6/2*(1+2)
6/2 could be seen as a fraction (as six halves) or the equation 6÷2 in either case the parentheses are not the problem, both will equal "9." If one take into consideration it is a fraction, it only yield "1" when one considers 2*(1+2) the denominator as a coefficient of (1+2), and one ignores the numerator as also a coefficient of (1+2). And it one considers 6/2 as 6÷2 then the problem 6÷2(1+2) or 6÷2×3, it will only yield "1" when one does not follow convention and doesn't do operations from the left to the right. One the about Math is that one can tackle a problem six ways to Sunday and still end up with the correct answer provided if one follows proper procedure and convention. If you take consistency and convention out of Math, and make things in it relative you will have 2+2=5.