Maths Disagreement

[TulaOfDarkWater]

One person thinks the answer is 165 and the other thinks 67, who is right?

YABU - 165
YANBU - 67

Or what’s the answer if both are wrong?

38

I make it 38. With the shapes, count the total number of angles. 15 for the first shape, 11 for the second shape.

Then multiply before adding (BODMAS). So it’s 3 ×11 = 33, then add 2 + 3, which is 5.

33 + 5 = 38

@stuckasastuckthing gave a lovely, concise and very likely correct explanation early in the thread, supporting the answer 38

But we can’t know for sure because as PPs have said we need to make assumptions about how the values of the symbols change. More of a brainteaser than a real maths problem

@DustyMaiden

This is an eye test

This! You win the thread.

There are no brackets in the problem. All bananas are equal, all Clock face are equal.
Final line is 3+4+415

Ignore BODMAS because working left to right takes precedence over going right then switching back L to R
If 415 +4+4 then bracket should be used
All IMHO of course.

There are so many of these they are predictably boring once you've done one of them. 😴

The pictures will always be different. Check for clock numbers, changes in shapes, number of fruit, choc chips in cookies, stripes on sock, number of ears etc etc etc and then check you do the simple maths correctly using BODMAS.

@Iamnotthe1

It's 38

The o'clock matters in the clock.
Each banana is worth 1.
The number of vertices matter with the shapes.

2 + 3 + 3 × 11
2 + 3 + 33
38

Yup. This. It's 38.

Also remember BODMAS

The only ambiguities are whether the clock in the last line is 2, or is 3 like the clocks above; whether the bananas are 3 or 4; and the shape 11 or 15. Multiplication is always done first.

@basiliskface ‘I was also taught that. Brackets then everything else. No mention of BODMAS. Had never heard of it until joining Mumsnet. I managed to get through primary school and top set maths GCSE and AS Level maths at grammar without it ever being mentioned or ever needing it, as all questions had brackets if you were to do those first.
I know posters here like to insist everyone was taught BODMAS but I really, really, really wasn’t. Born 1975.’

Did you really do AS level maths with no algebra? As algebra is dependent on BODMAS.
Eg if the value of c is 5, what would 3 + 4c equal?
Surely you know to do 4 lots of 5 first before adding 3? Giving 23 as the value. Or would you first did 3+4 to give 7c, then multiply by 5 to give 35?
Assuming you’d do the former, you must have some understanding of BODMAS, even if it wasn’t called that.

@celiamary

There are no brackets in the problem. All bananas are equal, all Clock face are equal. Final line is 3+4+4*15 Ignore BODMAS because working left to right takes precedence over going right then switching back L to R If 4*15 +4+4 then bracket should be used All IMHO of course.

You don’t work left to right, it doesn’t take precedence over BODMAS. You don’t ignore BODMAS. Ever. BODMAS always applies.

@celiamary

There are no brackets in the problem. All bananas are equal, all Clock face are equal. Final line is 3+4+4*15 Ignore BODMAS because working left to right takes precedence over going right then switching back L to R If 4*15 +4+4 then bracket should be used All IMHO of course.

Going left to right does not take precedence over BODMAS. He is the maths Lord and shall be obeyed.

@celiamary You don't get to have a "humble opinion" about maths.

Maths isn't a matter of opinion.

38

@Warblerinwinter

No brackets- therefore no single correct answer. Who on earth wrote it like that with no brackets Dumb really

You don't need brackets. Multiplication is done before addition

38, 2 + 3 +(3x11)

Clock face = 2 (3 in 3rd row)
Banana =1 each (4 in 2nd and 3rd row but 3 in last row)
Grey shape 15 point ends in 1st row but only 11 in last row
Therefore 2+3+3×11 = 88

My 13 year old says 38, I have no clue 🤦🏼‍♀️

@funtimesahead100 You forgot to apply rules on order of operations in your last line (aka BODMAS)

38. There's only 3 bananas in each bunch. The clock is pointing to 2 and there is 11 sides in the last shape 2+3+3x11=38

@Turtletotem

My 13 year old says 38, I have no clue 🤦🏼‍♀️

Did you ask them how they got to that?

I quite enjoy these for some reason, but as noted by others the visual tricks in this one (particularly with respect to the shapes) are flawed.

The clock thing is flawed too, really.

@Warblerinwinter

No brackets- therefore no single correct answer. Who on earth wrote it like that with no brackets Dumb really

What? You always multiply before addition. The worse thing about this is how many people don't know that 🤣.

It's 38.

I make it 35...

2 + 3 + (3 x 10) = 35

88,
the clock shows 2 in the last image - 3 in the previous ones
3 bananas in each bunch - 4 in the previous ones
11 sides in the last shape - 15 in the previous ones
2+3+3x11
2+3 = 5 +3 = 8 x11 = 88