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Original poster

40+40x0+1 ?

539 replies

minimuffy · 09/11/2011 19:48

40 + 40 x 0 + 1 =

A- 1
B- 41
c- 0

I say its B-41 as you need to multiply then add. (from what i remember of standard grade maths the acroymym BOMDAS- brackets off, multiply, divide, add, subtract)

DH says its 1.

please tell he's wrong!

OP posts:
Wallace · 09/11/2011 21:14

My ds1 is 12 and in first year of Secondary (Scotland).

He has never heard of multiplying first I gave him a quick crash course in BODMAS (the term is new to me, but it is what I do)

StrandedBear · 09/11/2011 21:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ClaraDeLaNoche · 09/11/2011 21:12

Would the answer have been 1 in 1984?

JumpinJellyBeansOnToast · 09/11/2011 21:11

This thread is still running?

glasscompletelybroken · 09/11/2011 21:10

Multiplication comes first so it's 41.

Unless you introduce brackets...

Original poster
minimuffy · 09/11/2011 21:09

im quite surprised at the 8 pages too! i really need to go wash my hair now.... been holding off for ages!

OP posts:
Hulababy · 09/11/2011 21:09

DD is in Y5. They are doing BODMAS next term. They have done it briefly in Y4 also.

EverybodysScaryEyed · 09/11/2011 21:09

It really is 41.

As everyone else said - BODMAS!!!

It is a written formula - not a list of instructions - your MIL was doing it in steps where you answered after each sum?

Hulababy · 09/11/2011 21:08

But regardless of brackets you do the x first - that is the order of operation. x comes before +

Original poster
minimuffy · 09/11/2011 21:08

even though there are no brackets you still need to multiply first

OP posts:
AttilaTheMeerkat · 09/11/2011 21:08

1

DunRovin · 09/11/2011 21:07

It really isn't because there are no brackets.

HazleNutt · 09/11/2011 21:06

8 pages?? 8??

It really, really is 41.

DunRovin · 09/11/2011 21:06

If someone resd this out to you as a mental arithmetic question you would do it in order of the instructions:
40 + 40 (which equals 80, hold in your head)
x 0 (you would think 80 times zero is 0)
+1 = answer 1!

My MIL who is a maths teacher used to issue these as puzzles and the inclusion of 'multiply by nought' near the end always made it easy because it took the running answer back to nought.

The sum is a series of instructions. That's all. No brackets.

TheFantasticFixit · 09/11/2011 21:04
banana87 · 09/11/2011 21:01

According to me its 1. According to my calculator its 41.

LadyBeckenham · 09/11/2011 20:59

Also some calculators give different answers because some are basic ones and don't apply BODMAS, some are clever and do.

noblegiraffe · 09/11/2011 20:58

41

(accredited maths teacher)

:)

coastgirl · 09/11/2011 20:54

We don't need an "accredited answer", the answer is 41 because THAT'S THE ANSWER.

Jux · 09/11/2011 20:52

Just reread my post Blush at appalling pomposity Grin

No, you can't just chuck brackets in willy-nilly because you want to. I did it just to demo.

Maths is fab. I'm doing an OU maths thing right now. Spent all today and all yesterday with one problem in front of me. Did it 10 times if I did it once! Wouldn't come out despite large tufts of hair sacrificed to it. Tears ran in furrows down my cheeks. Have to submit something so went to write up the rubbish I'd produced and lo! All of a sudden there were the figures jumping out at me and waving with ice-creams in their hands. Now, that is one question for the assignment I know I've got right!!!!!

TwinMummy30 · 09/11/2011 20:50

1000000000000% sure it's 41 !

LadyBeckenham · 09/11/2011 20:49

I am shocked that so many people don't know this is 41!

Surely this is basic yr7 maths?

PacificDogwood · 09/11/2011 20:49

Gah, I ment 41, honest I did

Itsjustafleshwound · 09/11/2011 20:48

reading it from the right = 80
Reading it from the left = 1
Applying maths principles = 41

OhYouBadBadkitten · 09/11/2011 20:47

when you are writing computer code you use * as a multiplication symbol too.