6÷2(2+1)

Colleagues were in a heated argument over this one. 😋

BIDMAS.

@MammaNeedHummus They both agreed on that. And they still didn't agree on the answer 😋😋

Don't omit the multiplication sign and it should be fine.

Trying to Google why we have the BIDMAS order... So confused!
Why BIDMAS!!!!!!

@iiii I need scientific papers for my drunk mind

Never really got the point of these. You could spend all day arguing about the technicalities of BODMAS, or you could just use appropriate brackets to avoid an argument and make it clear🤷‍♂️

That's because nobody actually uses the ÷ operator instead of a fraction unless they're deliberately trying to confuse people (or entering the equation into a simple calculator, I guess).

@EmberQuill exact argument for one of the colleagues who had 1 as an answer.

@iiii I'll visualize my colleagues arguments in TeX, just a minute.

I'm confident the answer is 9, as I interpret the expression as:

6÷2(2+1)

6 divided by 2 times brackets 2 plus 1 close brackets

6 divided by 2 times 3

3 times 3

9

(New comment with "written" colleague argument in a minute, give me a moment 😋)

@iiii Here's his solution visualized.

His point basically was that "÷" is a written fraction and that ":" should be used if it is an "inline" fraction, and thus the solution is as in the graphical equation and not 9.

I don't know how I feel about that but he was adamant.

@iiii agree!

It's 42.

Any other answer requires an assumption to be made.

@C0D4 I don't know if I should laugh or ask you to elaborate 🤨

@PotatoCookie both 1 and 9 require an assumption to be made without supporting brackets.

So, 42 must be the answer.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

@C0D4 Nice one! Went right over my head 😅

Was a good joke, my bad for not getting it on this one 😋

meh. trivial.

6÷2(2+1)

(* (÷ 6 2) (+ 2 1))

(* 3 3)

9

when in trouble, use the Lispy way of thinking. I live by that.

@kiki I agree with your solution however the answer 1 (scroll up a bit) is correct in some nuanced way, mainly a discussion on proper notation.

I haven't used Lisp yet. Or well yes I do for my spacemacs config but not in a really "use" way.

@PotatoCookie yeah that conventional elementary school math notation is outdated and sometimes confusing. Lisp-style notation eliminates the confusion entirely and makes things clear

@MammaNeedHummus @PotatoCookie BIDMAS is just another “five tomatoes” (five-two-eight-o) memo crap for imperial system. Those are random, outdated and confusing.

@kiki I'm not American so I don't use BIDMAS or the other acronyms however I understand their meaning and agree they are confusing and inadequate.

@iiii assuming standard precedence apply 👀

I love how this type of question always invokes the discussion around "What is the solution for the ambiguous problem?", while the more valuable question is: "How do we write the problem statement in a non-ambiguous way?".

@HerrNyani people do love polarisation 😋

I can't believe this topic got this many comments here

@electrineer ref. my comment above yours hehe

@kiki interestingly, that's almost exactly the opposite of reverse Polish notation (RPN) used especially in HP notation.

@iiii I prefer systems and notations that don’t need intricate manuals on how to use them

@electrineer HP calculators*

@iiii again, your assuming people made it past high school math and know the standards.

@iiii that's high school here 😅