Simple equation

[Nibor]

1

 

[nickyboy]

I'm sure BODMAS was invented to provide for an endless stream of "what does this equation add up to" questions

Wouldn't it be simpler if the convention was to read all equations left to right, one step ant a time. Except brackets which indicates a subgroup of the formula. Whilst the answer is clearly "1" based on the BODMAS convention, it does seem an unnecessarily complicated and unintuitive convention

 

[Venod]

[QUOTE 4899983, member: 9609"]However I think the correct reply to anyone posing this question is to ask if they know the rule[/QUOTE]

See post #24

 

[midlife]

I know HP used it, didn't know TI did. I first used RPN in Forth programming.

Had to Google this as it's a while ago. You are right, HP used RPN whilst my Ti 58 had a simulator as it was not native.

ALGOL was the first languages I was taught

 

[gavgav]

Where are the brackets?!

 

[ClichéGuevara]

I stand corrected.

You don't see as many surgical boots as you used to,

 

[Norry1]

um, 1

 

[raleighnut]

3

 

[Oxo]

You don't see as many surgical boots as you used to,

They can give you a lift.

 

[srw]

[QUOTE 4900290, member: 45"]1[/QUOTE]
Are you absolutely sure?

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

I'd send that back and demand some brackets.

 

[swansonj]

I can't help thinking this is a bit of a parable of society.

This equation could be made completely unambiguous by use of brackets.

If we don't use brackets, we need a convention.

There are several possible conventions, but, to those in the know, one of those conventions has been adopted in preference to the others.

There are people who think that's sufficient: if you want to get the right answer, it's up to you to know what the convention is, and if you don't know what the convention is, well, that's your problem when you get the wrong answer.

There are other people who think it might be better to make the modest change of using brackets to maximise the number of people who will get the right answer - that getting the right answer might be more important than establishing whether you know the convention or not.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

[QUOTE 4902205, member: 45"]Yup. It's 1.[/QUOTE]
I was going to agree with you as that was what I initially got, however on thinking about it again it's -1
3 divided by 1/3 = 9
9 + 1 = 10
9 - 10 = -1
Add before subtract

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

[QUOTE 4899550, member: 259"]It's not a valid equation.[/QUOTE]
You don't get out of it that easily

 

[Milkfloat]

I can't help thinking this is a bit of a parable of society.

This equation could be made completely unambiguous by use of brackets.

If we don't use brackets, we need a convention.

There are several possible conventions, but, to those in the know, one of those conventions has been adopted in preference to the others.

There are people who think that's sufficient: if you want to get the right answer, it's up to you to know what the convention is, and if you don't know what the convention is, well, that's your problem when you get the wrong answer.

There are other people who think it might be better to make the modest change of using brackets to maximise the number of people who will get the right answer - that getting the right answer might be more important than establishing whether you know the convention or not.

I prefer to think of it in simpler terms, "someone on the internet wanted to create traffic".