thyme4change
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Math
Sept 12, 2012 7:06:43 GMT -5
Post by thyme4change on Sept 12, 2012 7:06:43 GMT -5
Someone posted this on facebook this morning, and there were all kinds of answers.
4 x 4 + 4 x 4 + 4 - 4 x 4 = ??
I'm pretty sure that I know the answer - but now I have self doubt.
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Waffle
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Sept 12, 2012 7:11:29 GMT -5
Post by Waffle on Sept 12, 2012 7:11:29 GMT -5
320 was also the answer I came up with.
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resolution
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Sept 12, 2012 7:20:39 GMT -5
Post by resolution on Sept 12, 2012 7:20:39 GMT -5
I came up with 20.
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Waffle
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Sept 12, 2012 7:22:42 GMT -5
Post by Waffle on Sept 12, 2012 7:22:42 GMT -5
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steph08
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Math
Sept 12, 2012 7:23:49 GMT -5
Post by steph08 on Sept 12, 2012 7:23:49 GMT -5
Isn't it:
1. Multiplication 2. Division 3. Addition 4 Subtraction
4 x 4 + 4 x 4 + 4 - 4 x 4 = ??
So (4x4) + (4x4) + 4 - (4 x 4)?
16 + 16 + 4 - 16
36 - 16
20
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Wizard of Id
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Math
Sept 12, 2012 7:28:09 GMT -5
Post by Wizard of Id on Sept 12, 2012 7:28:09 GMT -5
Isn't it: 1. Multiplication 2. Division 3. Addition 4 Subtraction 4 x 4 + 4 x 4 + 4 - 4 x 4 = ?? So (4x4) + (4x4) + 4 - (4 x 4)? 16 + 16 + 4 - 16 36 - 16 20 It's scary to see how many people don't know basic algebra.
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Waffle
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Sept 12, 2012 7:31:15 GMT -5
Post by Waffle on Sept 12, 2012 7:31:15 GMT -5
I thought without parenthesis - it was do the math in order so 4 x 4 + 4 x 4 + 4 - 4 x 4
4x4 = 16 16+4 =20 20x4 = 80 80+4 = 84 84-4=80 80*4 = 320
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vonna
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Math
Sept 12, 2012 7:34:22 GMT -5
Post by vonna on Sept 12, 2012 7:34:22 GMT -5
Order of operations:
From left to right:
1. terms inside parenthesis/brackets 2. exponents 3. multiplication/division 4. addition/subtraction
The answer is 20.
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Deleted
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Math
Sept 12, 2012 7:35:01 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2012 7:35:01 GMT -5
I got 420.
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swamp
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Sept 12, 2012 7:38:33 GMT -5
Post by swamp on Sept 12, 2012 7:38:33 GMT -5
I was taught left to right, unless there are parentheses and you do the stuff in parentheses first.
I guess I was taught wrong.
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resolution
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Math
Sept 12, 2012 7:39:18 GMT -5
Post by resolution on Sept 12, 2012 7:39:18 GMT -5
bah messed up my example.
You use the parenthesis if you want to over-ride the normal order of operations. So if you wanted it to come out to 320 you would do ((4 x 4 + 4) x 4 + 4 - 4) x 4.
It goes parenthesis first, then exponents, then multiplication/division, then addition/subtraction.
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Waffle
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Math
Sept 12, 2012 7:40:04 GMT -5
Post by Waffle on Sept 12, 2012 7:40:04 GMT -5
Isn't it: 1. Multiplication 2. Division 3. Addition 4 Subtraction 4 x 4 + 4 x 4 + 4 - 4 x 4 = ?? So (4x4) + (4x4) + 4 - (4 x 4)? 16 + 16 + 4 - 16 36 - 16 20 It's scary to see how many people don't know basic algebra. I aced both Algebra and advanced Algebra, but that was many, many years ago and I've obviously forgotten it!
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Waffle
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Sept 12, 2012 7:41:54 GMT -5
Post by Waffle on Sept 12, 2012 7:41:54 GMT -5
I was taught left to right, unless there are parentheses and you do the stuff in parentheses first. I guess I was taught wrong. That's what I remembered (or at least thought I remembered)
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taz157
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Sept 12, 2012 7:49:25 GMT -5
Post by taz157 on Sept 12, 2012 7:49:25 GMT -5
20
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taz157
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Math
Sept 12, 2012 7:49:50 GMT -5
Post by taz157 on Sept 12, 2012 7:49:50 GMT -5
Isn't it: 1. Multiplication 2. Division 3. Addition 4 Subtraction 4 x 4 + 4 x 4 + 4 - 4 x 4 = ?? So (4x4) + (4x4) + 4 - (4 x 4)? 16 + 16 + 4 - 16 36 - 16 20
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ontrack
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Math
Sept 12, 2012 7:50:46 GMT -5
Post by ontrack on Sept 12, 2012 7:50:46 GMT -5
I got 20 as well. You need to remember your order of operations, as was previously mentioned.
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swamp
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Sept 12, 2012 7:51:58 GMT -5
Post by swamp on Sept 12, 2012 7:51:58 GMT -5
I got 20 as well. You need to remember your order of operations, as was previously mentioned. You want me to remember something that was taught to me in 1984?
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Miss Tequila
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Math
Sept 12, 2012 7:52:55 GMT -5
Post by Miss Tequila on Sept 12, 2012 7:52:55 GMT -5
Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally....
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Deleted
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Math
Sept 12, 2012 7:53:01 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2012 7:53:01 GMT -5
(4 x 4) + (4 x 4) + 4 - (4 x 4) = ??
Multiplication or division is done first. I get 20.
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Colleenz
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Sept 12, 2012 7:53:02 GMT -5
Post by Colleenz on Sept 12, 2012 7:53:02 GMT -5
Engineer nerd says 20.
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Miss Tequila
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Sept 12, 2012 7:53:29 GMT -5
Post by Miss Tequila on Sept 12, 2012 7:53:29 GMT -5
Or at my house, Please Excuse My Drunk Aunt Susan :-p
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resolution
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Math
Sept 12, 2012 7:55:33 GMT -5
Post by resolution on Sept 12, 2012 7:55:33 GMT -5
Yes you have to remember it or pretend that you remember because stupid math problems are popping up all over facebook. Don't you want to know which of your friends are answering this stuff wrong so you can smirk at them?
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Deleted
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Math
Sept 12, 2012 7:55:45 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2012 7:55:45 GMT -5
just out of curiosity, wouldn't everyone just plug it into excel to get the answer? Is it important to know why?
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Miss Tequila
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Sept 12, 2012 7:57:37 GMT -5
Post by Miss Tequila on Sept 12, 2012 7:57:37 GMT -5
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- just out of curiosity, wouldn't everyone just plug it into excel to get the answer? Is it important to know why Only if you have kids in school and need to teach them...I had to teach this to my daughter recently. and I'm old school, I never trust that I didn't fuck up a formula in excel so I have to test it...shit, does that make me OCD?
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swamp
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Sept 12, 2012 7:57:45 GMT -5
Post by swamp on Sept 12, 2012 7:57:45 GMT -5
just out of curiosity, wouldn't everyone just plug it into excel to get the answer? Is it important to know why? I don't know how to use excel for functions like that.
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ontrack
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Sept 12, 2012 7:58:30 GMT -5
Post by ontrack on Sept 12, 2012 7:58:30 GMT -5
sometimes mental math is still important.
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Deleted
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Sept 12, 2012 7:59:17 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2012 7:59:17 GMT -5
just out of curiosity, wouldn't everyone just plug it into excel to get the answer? Is it important to know why? I don't know how to use excel for functions like that. You don't know how to add, subtract and multiply in excel? What the heck to they teach lawyers these days?
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Waffle
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Sept 12, 2012 7:59:44 GMT -5
Post by Waffle on Sept 12, 2012 7:59:44 GMT -5
just out of curiosity, wouldn't everyone just plug it into excel to get the answer? Is it important to know why? Interesting question - I plugged it into excel and got 20. When I do it on a calculator I get 320. So, if you're doing it by hand, or calculator, you evidently have to know the order of operations.
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Deleted
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Sept 12, 2012 8:00:15 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2012 8:00:15 GMT -5
just out of curiosity, wouldn't everyone just plug it into excel to get the answer? Is it important to know why? Interesting question - I plugged it into excel and got 20. When I do it on a calculator I get 320. So, if you're doing it by hand, or calculator, you evidently have to know the order of operations. But my question is, why would anyone do it by hand or with a calculator?
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swamp
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Sept 12, 2012 8:00:48 GMT -5
Post by swamp on Sept 12, 2012 8:00:48 GMT -5
I don't know how to use excel for functions like that. You don't know how to add, subtract and multiply in excel? What the heck to they teach lawyers these days? Nobody ever taught me how to use excel. I can only do really basic stuff, which I figured out on my own.
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