GreenPencils, BluePencils, RedPencils and BODMAS

pate-ci0

Thanks Matphil, saw that (sanity prevails); still got some comments arguing that an arithmetic calculation could have two answers, though. Oh well, I suppose we all can't be leaders of the Free World...and that's maybe how you become one...

hamsterfan1

when I was at school we were taught left to right and brackesd meant the sum of those enclosed was used . We're not wrong just old

sleepyjones

I hope the prize for that was more than just a red pencil! I've already spent more time on that competition than almost every other one and I didn't even enter it!

pate-ci0

Looks like a nice bunch of Staedtler goodies, Sleepyjones:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10211965459266333&set=p.10211965459266333&type=3&theater

Newnan

hamsterfan1 wrote: »

when I was at school we were taught left to right and brackesd meant the sum of those enclosed was used . We're not wrong just old

Thought I was going mad, (bleddy BODMAS/BIDMAS)cos I was taught the same as you, hamsterfan. I must be getting seriously old:rotfl:

BTW hamsterfan, I'm the proud nana to 4 lovely girls :j

pate-ci0

Same here Newnan and Hamsterfan (congrats on the grandkids, still working on that...). The problem is that nowadays there seems to be the impression that if there are no brackets, different rules apply, instead of being aware that you are supposed to put in the brackets yourself according to the arithmetical rules of precedence. There can only be ONE correct result to an arithmetic calculation, regardless of your schooling, education, language, nationality, religion or whatever.

It wasn't called BODMAS/BIDMAS back then, but that is what you were taught regardless.

One-Eye

pate-ci0 wrote: »

There can only be ONE correct result to an arithmetic calculation, regardless of your schooling, education, language, nationality, religion or whatever.

x*x − x = 2

x = 2 is a correct answer, x = -1 is also a correct answer.

pate-ci0

Apologies, you are of course quite correct. I was trying to keep it simple and out of the realm of pure maths, algebra, quadratic equations, imaginary numbers and other exotic animals.