6 / 2(1+2) = 7

[mibn2cweus]

While the world argues over whether the correct answer is 1 or 9 . . . I get 7 as the answer.

So what's the problem with everyone else?

[fiction-factory]

Whether we like BIDMAS/BODMAS (or its overseas alternative names) or not, it is recognised all over the world. The order is brackets, indices (powers Of), division and multiplication, addition and subtraction.
Confusion can sill arise when operations have equal precedence (e.g. multiply and divide) although the convention is to take these simply in the order they arise- which is why in this case there is a case for an answer of 9 rather than one.
However I think the space after the division sign and the lack of a gap between the 2 and the bracket would suggest that the writer meant 6/(2*3)= 1

I actually dislike BIDMAS and always use brackets (eg when writing spreadsheet formulae) to avoid any potential ambiguity or errors.

[mibn2cweus]

Inspired by fiction-factory in the Science thread -

//Your formula still works. I think it's just a matter of personal preference now as to how you present it.

I would suggest leaving the final division by 2 until the end to avoid any misinterpretations about what the divisor is (it could be interpreted incorrectly as 2 ( G + L )
07:03 Tue 06th Sep 2016//

perhaps the problem would be better parsed as -

6 ( 1 + 2 ) / 2 =

[Mamyalynne]

Nooooooooooooo.

[jim360]

As long as you were consistently wrong, you should be fine!

[naomi24]

It's 1 - and my mathematician friend makes it 1 too.

[jim360]

Oh. Well I guess that settles it then.

(#obviouslysarcasm)

[naomi24]

:o)

[murraymints]

1 for me !

[jim360]

Any chance either of you could, you know.. read the thread?

[Old_Geezer]

If your American friend made it 1 that really must settle it, no kidding.
9 for sure then.

[fiction-factory]

Or 9.

There is a problem with typing division signs on a computer. If the handwritten version was

6 (1+2)
-
2

then 9 would be right.

(Hope the format looks right when it appears).

If the intended answer was 9 though the following would have avoided any ambiguity:
(6/2)(1+2)


If the intended answer was 1 then this layout would have avoided ambiguity:
6/(2(1+2))


or

6
____

2(1+2)

[naomi24]

Jim, I've read the thread.

OG, if you're talking to me, my mathematician friend is not American.

[Old_Geezer]

Ah, another good reason for having an edit, when one misreads ;-)
So much for the leg pull attempt then.

[jim360]

Well in that case, at the very least Naomi you should be acknowledging the potential for ambiguity (as well as asking your mathematician friend what he makes of the fact that a program interprets the above input as giving 9).

[fiction-factory]

Ah- we are going over old ground aren't we. As was said earlier if the intended answer was 9 a better layout for getting 9 would have been to put the division at the end
6 ( 1 + 2 ) / 2 =

Naomi/murraymints- whilst I think 1 is probably the intended answer there is a case for 9 too under BIDMAS. Brackets first then division and multiplication are of equal precedence so are done in the order they appear . So that's 6 ÷ 2 x 3

I am not a great fan of relying on BIDMAS. I would always try to put extra brackets in or rewrite the problem to avoid these ambiguities.

[jim360]

Yes, we are. But then this is always the problem with *every* kind of "debate" like this. It has been long-since resolved, and then someone else comes along and insists on the position that was discarded. And so you have to cover the old ground all over again. And then again, perhaps some time next week (eg, as or when mikey discovers this thread).

[Old_Geezer]

Whether there is a better layout is interesting, but not really the point.
The question is about how the layout we have is correctly interpreted.
In which case there is an implied multiplication sign between the opening bracket and the prior '2'. One working out the contents of the bracket first, then goes left to right with the divisions and multiplications. Assuming the bracket result is also under the first division sign, is not really justifiable. One probably would not make it if the alternative division sign (÷) was used so one should not make it now.

[Prudie]

100+ posts and arguments all over the net suggest this is not resolved at all. Still no point in discussing it really.