• Truscape@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    18 days ago

    Presuming PEMDAS is our order of operations and the 5 next to the parentheses indicates multiplication…

    2+5(8-5) -> 2+5(3) -> 2+15=17

    Other than adding a multiplication indicator next to the left parentheses for clarification (I believe it’s * for programming and text chat purposes, a miniature “x” or dot for pen and paper/traditional calculators), this seems fine, yeah.

    …I worry about how many people may not understand how to solve equations like these.

    • ftbd@feddit.org
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      17 days ago

      That’s not even an equation, just basic arithmetic

      • Cethin@lemmy.zip
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        17 days ago

        Technically not algebra, right? Algebra is where you move things around and solve for variables, and that kind of thing. This is just arithmetic.

          • Cethin@lemmy.zip
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            8 hours ago

            I don’t think you’re right. The wiki page literally uses a similar equation as an example of “elementary arithmetic.” It also uses a similar one, but with variables, as an example in “elementary algebra.” That implies that yes, this is arithmetic, and the introduction of variables is what makes it algebra.

            It doesn’t matter what course finally teaches it to you. That could be just out of convenience, not by definition part of that domain. It’s been ages since I took it, though I could swear I learned this in pre-algebra (meaning before algebra), or earlier. I could be wrong on this though. Again, it’s been a very long time.

            • I don’t think you’re right

              You don’t think Maths textbooks are right??

              The wiki page

              is full of disinformation. Note that they literally never cite any Maths textbooks

              as an example of “elementary arithmetic.”

              And whichever Joe Blow My Next Door Neighbour wrote that is wrong

              as an example in “elementary algebra.”

              Algebra isn’t taught until high school

              That implies that yes, this is arithmetic,

              No, anything with a(b+c) is Algebra, taught in Year 7

              the introduction of variables is what makes it algebra

              and the rules of Algebra, which includes a(b+c)=(ab+ac). There is no such rule in Arithmetic.

              It doesn’t matter what course finally teaches it to you

              It does if you’re going to argue over whether it’s Arithmetic or Algebra.

              not by definition part of that domain

              The Distributive Law is 100% part of Algebra. It’s one of the very first things taught (right after pronumerals and substitution).

              It’s been ages since I took it

              I teach it. We teach it to Year 7, at the start of Algebra

              • Cethin@lemmy.zip
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                7 hours ago

                You’re very rude. Also, Ill informed, and you think you’re smarter than you are. For example, this:

                as an example in “elementary algebra.”

                Algebra isn’t taught until high school

                Elementary doesn’t mean elementary school. Do you think elementary particles are the ones they teach you in elementary school? Lol. Elementary means fundamental or basic.

                • mindbleach@sh.itjust.works
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                  7 hours ago

                  The clouds could part, revealing an unmistakable divine presence, where a herald of angels trumpet, and the creator of the universe tells this guy he’s being a hypocritical crank, and he’d bicker until god himself said “Stuff this” and moved on.

                • You’re very rude

                  What do you expect to happen when you call a Maths teacher wrong about Maths?

                  Ill informed

                  Maths teachers are ill informed about Maths?? 😂

                  Elementary means fundamental or basic

                  Which therefore contradicts your argument about it being part of Arithmetic, which is taught in elementary school, Algebra isn’t

                  • Cethin@lemmy.zip
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                    6 hours ago

                    Maths teachers are ill informed about Maths?? 😂

                    Dude, there are math geniuses, who were powerhouses in the field, who were wrong about some things. Do you think you’re above them?

                    Which therefore contradicts your argument about it being part of Arithmetic, which is taught in elementary school, Algebra isn’t

                    I don’t think you understood that. Elementary particles are taught in undergrad physics, not elementary school. They’re elementary because they’re fundamental, not because of when they’re taught. Elementary school teaches you the fundamentals to your future education. That’s why it’s called that, not because they teach you everything that uses the word “elementary.” Also, many things are fundamental (elementary) to their fields that won’t be taught to elementary school students. The sharing a word does not make them related.

                    What do you expect to happen when you call a Maths teacher wrong about Maths?

                    I didn’t say you were wrong about math. I said you were wrong about English that is used in relation to math. Clearly this isn’t a strong suit of yours, and that’s fine. However, stop acting like you know everything, because you clearly don’t. You’re using some very strange logic to argue you’re right, and it doesn’t make any sense.

      • Truscape@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        18 days ago

        Fair enough, I’ve heard “math problem” and “math equation” used interchangeably.

        Also you would be surprised how many people do not know basic algebra, at least in the US rofl

    • TheRedSpade@lemmy.world
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      18 days ago

      While I never failed a math class, I also never went past high school. When would your presumptions NOT be true?

      • Truscape@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        18 days ago

        Some forms of programming syntax, although there are the fringe cases where an equation (or function in programming) is represented by a symbol in conjunction with a parentheses input.

        For example:

        y(x) = 2*x+3

        5+y(1) = 10, as 1 is substituted in for x in the prior equation.

    • Alaknár@sopuli.xyz
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      17 days ago

      Multiplication sign is not required in situations like this. Same with unknowns - you don’t have to write 2*x, you just write 2x.

    • DarkCloud@lemmy.world
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      18 days ago

      I prefer BM-DAS, no one’s out here doing exponents, and no one calls brackets “parentheses”…

      • cobysev@lemmy.world
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        18 days ago

        The way I was taught growing up, brackets are [these]. Parenthesis are (these).

        Yes, technically the latter are also brackets. But they can also be called parenthesis, whereas the former is exclusively a bracket. So we were taught to call them separate words to differentiate while doing equations.

        • Droggelbecher@lemmy.world
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          17 days ago

          I’m a theoretical physics grad student and a night school maths teacher, I have never heard this distinction. People in academia around me call them round and square brackets.

          • tigeruppercut@lemmy.zip
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            17 days ago

            It’s a US vs UK (and probably others) distinction. The ( ) are almost never called brackets in the US, unless it’s a regional thing I’m not aware of. Also the [ ] didn’t get used in any math classes I was in the US up through calculus except for matrices.

            • Droggelbecher@lemmy.world
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              17 days ago

              Interesting! Nobody at my institute is a native English speaker. They’re from several European and some Asian and south American countries.

        • DarkCloud@lemmy.world
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          18 days ago

          Yeah, but as an adult it depends entirely on whether you’re in an industry or hobby that requires that level of bracket nuance/exponents.

          Most of us are just trying to remember the basics.

      • Deebster@infosec.pub
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        17 days ago

        I learnt it as BODMAS (brackets, orders, division and multiplication, addition and subtraction).

        Edit: I see we’re repeating points from the earlier posts down there 👇 (with default sort).