this post was submitted on 12 Dec 2023
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6÷2(1+2) (programming.dev)
submitted 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) by wischi@programming.dev to c/memes@lemmy.ml
 

https://zeta.one/viral-math/

I wrote a (very long) blog post about those viral math problems and am looking for feedback, especially from people who are not convinced that the problem is ambiguous.

It's about a 30min read so thank you in advance if you really take the time to read it, but I think it's worth it if you joined such discussions in the past, but I'm probably biased because I wrote it :)

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[–] dgmib@lemmy.world 2 points 11 months ago (10 children)

What is your source for the priority of the / operator?

i.e. why do you say 6 / 2 * 3 is unambiguous?

Every source I’ve seen states that multiplication and division are equal priority operations. And one should clarify, either with a fraction bar (preferably) or parentheses if the order would make a difference.

[–] wischi@programming.dev 2 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (9 children)

Same priority operations are solved from left to right. There is not a single credible calculator that would evaluate "6 / 2 * 3" to anything else but 9.

But I challenge you to show me a calculator that says otherwise. In the blog are about 2 or 3 dozend calculators referenced by name all of them say the same thing. Instead of a calculator you can also name a single expert in the field who would say that 6 / 2 * 3 is anything but 9.

[–] dgmib@lemmy.world 0 points 11 months ago (8 children)

Will you accept wolfram alpha as credible source?

https://mathworld.wolfram.com/Solidus.html

Special care is needed when interpreting the meaning of a solidus in in-line math because of the notational ambiguity in expressions such as a/bc. Whereas in many textbooks, "a/bc" is intended to denote a/(bc), taken literally or evaluated in a symbolic mathematics languages such as the Wolfram Language, it means (a/b)×c. For clarity, parentheses should therefore always be used when delineating compound denominators.

[–] Danksy@lemmy.world 1 points 11 months ago

The link references "a/bc" not "a/b*c". The first is ambiguous, the second is not.

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