• JackbyDev@programming.dev
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    17 days ago

    Now that’s a good troll math thing because it gets really deep into the weeds of mathematical notation. There isn’t one true order of operations that is objectively correct, and on top of that, that’s hardly the way most people would write that. As in, if you wrote that by hand, you wouldn’t use the / symbol. You’d either use ÷ or a proper fraction.

    It’s a good candidate for nerd sniping.

    Personally, I’d call that 36 as written given the context you’re saying it in, instead of calling it 1. But I’d say it’s ambiguous and you should notate in a way to avoid ambiguities. Especially if you’re in the camp of multiplication like a(b) being different from ab and/or a × b.

    • There isn’t one true order of operations that is objectively correct

      Yes there is, as found in Maths textbooks the world over

      that’s hardly the way most people would write that

      Maths textbooks write it that way

      you wouldn’t use the / symbol

      Yes you would.

      You’d either use ÷

      Same same

      It’s a good candidate for nerd sniping.

      Here’s one I prepared earlier to save you the trouble

      I’d call that 36

      And you’d be wrong

      as written given the context you’re saying it in

      The context is Maths, you have to obey the rules of Maths. a(b+c)=(ab+ac), 5(8-5)=(5x8-5x5).

      But I’d say it’s ambiguous

      And you’d be wrong about that too

      you should notate in a way to avoid ambiguities

      It already is notated in a way that avoids all ambiguities!

      Especially if you’re in the camp of multiplication like a(b)

      That’s not Multiplication, it’s Distribution, a(b+c)=(ab+ac), a(b)=(axb).

      being different from ab

      Nope, that’s exactly the same, ab=(axb) by definition

      and/or a × b

      (axb) is most certainly different to axb. 1/ab=1/(axb), 1/axb=b/a

      • JackbyDev@programming.dev
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        7 hours ago

        Please read this section of Wikipedia which talks about these topics better than I could. It shows that there is ambiguity in the order of operations and that for especially niche cases there is not a universally accepted order of operations when dealing with mixed division and multiplication. It addresses everything you’ve mentioned.

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_operations#Mixed_division_and_multiplication

        There is no universal convention for interpreting an expression containing both division denoted by ‘÷’ and multiplication denoted by ‘×’. Proposed conventions include assigning the operations equal precedence and evaluating them from left to right, or equivalently treating division as multiplication by the reciprocal and then evaluating in any order;[10] evaluating all multiplications first followed by divisions from left to right; or eschewing such expressions and instead always disambiguating them by explicit parentheses.[11]

        Beyond primary education, the symbol ‘÷’ for division is seldom used, but is replaced by the use of algebraic fractions,[12] typically written vertically with the numerator stacked above the denominator – which makes grouping explicit and unambiguous – but sometimes written inline using the slash or solidus symbol ‘/’.[13]

        Multiplication denoted by juxtaposition (also known as implied multiplication) creates a visual unit and is often given higher precedence than most other operations. In academic literature, when inline fractions are combined with implied multiplication without explicit parentheses, the multiplication is conventionally interpreted as having higher precedence than division, so that e.g. 1 / 2n is interpreted to mean 1 / (2 · n) rather than (1 / 2) · n.[2][10][14][15] For instance, the manuscript submission instructions for the Physical Review journals directly state that multiplication has precedence over division,[16] and this is also the convention observed in physics textbooks such as the Course of Theoretical Physics by Landau and Lifshitz[c] and mathematics textbooks such as Concrete Mathematics by Graham, Knuth, and Patashnik.[17] However, some authors recommend against expressions such as a / bc, preferring the explicit use of parenthesis a / (bc).[3]

        More complicated cases are more ambiguous. For instance, the notation 1 / 2π(a + b) could plausibly mean either 1 / [2π · (a + b)] or [1 / (2π)] · (a + b).[18] Sometimes interpretation depends on context. The Physical Review submission instructions recommend against expressions of the form a / b / c; more explicit expressions (a / b) / c or a / (b / c) are unambiguous.[16]

        Image of two calculators getting different answers 6÷2(1+2) is interpreted as 6÷(2×(1+2)) by a fx-82MS (upper), and (6÷2)×(1+2) by a TI-83 Plus calculator (lower), respectively.

        This ambiguity has been the subject of Internet memes such as “8 ÷ 2(2 + 2)”, for which there are two conflicting interpretations: 8 ÷ [2 · (2 + 2)] = 1 and (8 ÷ 2) · (2 + 2) = 16.[15][19] Mathematics education researcher Hung-Hsi Wu points out that “one never gets a computation of this type in real life”, and calls such contrived examples “a kind of Gotcha! parlor game designed to trap an unsuspecting person by phrasing it in terms of a set of unreasonably convoluted rules”.[12]

        • Please read this section of Wikipedia which talks about these topics better than I could

          Please read Maths textbooks which explain it better than Joe Blow Your next Door neighbour on Wikipedia. there’s plenty in here

          It shows that there is ambiguity in the order of operations

          and is wrong about that, as proven by Maths textbooks

          especially niche cases there is not a universally accepted order of operations when dealing with mixed division and multiplication

          That’s because Multiplication and Division can be done in any order

          It addresses everything you’ve mentioned

          wrongly, as per Maths textbooks

          Multiplication denoted by juxtaposition (also known as implied multiplication)

          Nope. Terms/Products is what they are called. “implied multiplication” is a “rule” made up by people who have forgotten the actual rules.

          s often given higher precedence than most other operations

          Always is, because brackets first. ab=(axb) by definition

          1 / 2n is interpreted to mean 1 / (2 · n)

          As per the definition that ab=(axb), 1/2n=1/(2xn).

          [2][10][14][15]

          Did you look at the references, and note that there are no Maths textbooks listed?

          the manuscript submission instructions for the Physical Review journals

          Which isn’t a Maths textbook

          the convention observed in physics textbooks

          Also not Maths textbooks

          mathematics textbooks such as Concrete Mathematics by Graham, Knuth, and Patashnik

          Actually that is a Computer Science textbook, written for programmers. Knuth is a very famous programmer

          More complicated cases are more ambiguous

          None of them are ambiguous.

          the notation 1 / 2π(a + b) could plausibly mean either 1 / [2π · (a + b)]

          It does as per the rules of Maths, but more precisely it actually means 1 / (2πa + 2πb)

          or [1 / (2π)] · (a + b).[18]

          No, it can’t mean that unless it was written (1 / 2π)(a + b), which it wasn’t

          Sometimes interpretation depends on context

          Nope, never

          more explicit expressions (a / b) / c or a / (b / c) are unambiguous

          a/b/c is already unambiguous - left to right. 🙄

          Image of two calculators getting different answers

          With the exception of Texas Instruments, all the other calculator manufacturers have gone back to doing it correctly, and Sharp have always done it correctly.

          6÷2(1+2) is interpreted as 6÷(2×(1+2))

          6÷(2x1+2x2) actually, as per The Distributive Law, a(b+c)=(ab+ac)

          (6÷2)×(1+2) by a TI-83 Plus calculator (lower)

          Yep, Texas Instruments is the only one still doing it wrong

          This ambiguity

          doesn’t exist, as per Maths textbooks

          “8 ÷ 2(2 + 2)”, for which there are two conflicting interpretations:

          No there isn’t - you MUST obey The Distributive Law, a(b+c)=(ab+ac)

          Mathematics education researcher Hung-Hsi Wu points out that “one never gets a computation of this type in real life”

          And he was wrong about that. 🙄

          calls such contrived examples

          Which notably can be found in Maths textbooks