Main image via Twitter
Some of us are maths lovers and some of are not, but this maths equation is dividing people all over the internet and we’re confused too!
Advertisement
A simple maths equation recently went viral after a user posted it on Twitter and it’s dividing the internet over what the correct answer is.
Titled as “viral math problem”, the post asks people on to solve the equation 6÷2(1+2)= ?
how smart are my oomfs pic.twitter.com/YVxtzhNx4c
— dev ᴺᴹ ᴬᴳ (@iambuterastann) November 13, 2020
Now if you’ve solved the equation yourself you might have come to the conclusion that the answer is either 1 or 9 (if you didn’t… well this is awkward...), both of which people are claiming is the correct answer!
People who got the answer 9 used the method of solving the brackets (1+2=3) and multiplying it by 6÷2 (also 3), hence getting the answer 3x3=9.
i should have just replied with this 🤡 this is how they told us to do it and if we did it any other way it was apparently wrong and now i rly want to ask my teacher if thats true or not but i have to wait until monday and ill probably forget pic.twitter.com/xyvrq2CVD4
— andilikesanime⁷ (@andilikesanime) November 14, 2020
PEMDAS - order of operations
— 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝘆 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝘆 𝗣𝘂𝗺𝗽𝗸𝗶𝗻 🎃 (@PhoenixTaino) November 15, 2020
Parenthesis
Exponents
x & ÷ (same priority; do left to right)
+ & - (same priority; do left to right)
6÷2(1+2) - parenthesis first
6÷2(3) - division next
3•3 - multiply last
9 - correct answer
You only get 1 if you change the equation. pic.twitter.com/I2UrQrhySw
Order of Operations:
— A Green Guy Named Geno (@GreenGuyGenoAlt) November 13, 2020
1. Parenthesis
2. Exponents
3. Multiply/Divide (from left to right)
4. Add/Subtract (from left to right)
However, the statement clearly doesn't depict the equation as a fraction, nor is "2(1+2)" in parenthesis, so you do "6/2" before "2*3", thus you get 9. pic.twitter.com/kbwCWAbLNn
But the people who are getting the answer 1 solved it using (1+2=3) and multiplying it by 2 (3x2=6), leaving the answer 6÷6=1.
the answer is 1. i solved it two ways. pic.twitter.com/cyfFvvisbJ
— tupac shakourt ☥ (@SUPREMEKOURTNEE) November 13, 2020
Y’ALL IT’S 1 IT DEPENDS ON HOW IT’S WRITTEN WHICH IN THIS CASE MEANS IT’S 1 LOOK AT THE CALCULATOR!!!! pic.twitter.com/IRi4KLevFJ
— rae ☁️ (@swttgrace) November 13, 2020
Why is it that every 2-3 months one of these improperly written equation pops up, makes people prove they can’t do simple math, and rely on calculators too much.
— Jason Eikmeier (@Eikey1729) November 13, 2020
The answer is 1. Anything else proves you didn’t pay attention in class.
People on both sides of the answers are saying that they solved it using the BIDMAS method, the acronym of the correct order to solve equations: Brackets, Indices, Division, Multiplication, Addition, Subtraction.
Some even got the answer 0 or 7 but majority of the people got 1 or 9 as their answers.
Where is the 9? pic.twitter.com/4laRM3nNLU
— movjng on (@arisglossin) November 13, 2020
I did it this way and got something completely weird- pic.twitter.com/R2EiCjvBua
— Vixen T. Fox (@Raven_Crest) November 13, 2020
Others argued that the answer will not be definitive unless it is rephrased as either (6÷2)(1+2) or 6÷(2(1+2)).
to argue around the meme; it's a problem of notation since ÷ is not a well defined operator; and its use is recommended against by the ISO.
— Dr. ZahnZee (@Zahn_Zee) November 13, 2020
It comes down to which of the two pictures it's trying to represent, and it fails to coherently depict either so it introduces ambiguity. pic.twitter.com/8wJceopsJw
How ironic that the division sign is so divisive 😂 pic.twitter.com/IwZMphS5l5
— Alex Sibila ⚡ (@AlexSibila) November 13, 2020
What answer did you get and which do you think is correct? Let us know!
Info via @iambuterastann / Twitter
