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?

Im not sure if I have the brackets in the right place, but I think it's 38.
(2 + 3) + (3 x 11) so 5 + 33 = 38.

152

Sorry 38

88

2 "o" clock + 3 + 3 x (number of sides) 11

@ArtyChoc

88

2 "o" clock + 3 + 3 x (number of sides) 11

No.

@GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat

I thought it was 38

Yep? I agree its 38.

I miss these- we had some in our neighbourhood WhatsApp group during lockdown 1 when it all was just fun & games in our estate, (mostly healthy retired folk)

@ArtyChoc,

You are using the values most of us think are meant. But it appears that you are doing your operations from left to right. The rule (BODMAS or BIDMAS) is to perform the multiplication first. It just evolved because a decision had to be made to avoid the confusion we are having on this thread!

@ArtyChoc
(And everyone else who cannot understand this).

Let's just say the last symbol with the shapes is 11. But lets pretend we dont know that and call it Y.

The equation would look like this;

2 + 3 + 3Y = 38
3Y = 38 - 2 - 3
3Y = 33
Y = 11.

Yay. That's right.

Now use your answer of 88.

2 + 3 + 3Y = 88
3Y = 88 - 2 - 3
3Y = 83
Y = 27.6667

Nope. We know Y = 11. So that doesnt work. It isnt 88.

BODMAS.

BODMAS, BIDMAS or not, many of us need our eyes tested.

These tests do the rounds & after the core maths order of operation, the devil is in the pictorial detail of the question.

As with all tests, the art of the answer is to make sure you read the question carefully.

Actually, @Itsalmostanaccessory, you are solving two different equations correctly. In using the expression 3Y, you are introducing BODMAS. We. do know Y is 11.

So I think that was slightly muddled , but your basic idea that introducing an algebra equation sets us up to use BODMAS correctly was brilliant.

38
Number of bananas
Time on the clock
Number of sides on each shape

@poetryandwine

Yes, I know I was solving 2 different equations correctly. I was showing that if we use the answer of 38 then Y turns out to be 11, which we know is correct. But it we use the answer of 88 then Y turns out to be 27.667. Which we know is wrong.
So the answer isnt 88. It's 38.

The bunches of bananas are only 3 rather than 4
The clock says 2 rather than 3
The polygon combo only has a total of 11 sides rather than 15
Bidmas / bodmas / podmas dictates the multiplication comes before addition
Therefore:
3*11 = 33
2+3+33 = 38

48?

I know the majority of posters have accepted that the last grey shape has a value of 11 but I think it has to be - for it to be 10, all 3 shapes in the original should have been the same, like 3 overlapped squares, for example.

They are not the same shape, therefore they should not be assigned the same value - the assigned value of each shape within the composite should reflect the shape, therefore it makes FAR more sense that
square = 4
pentagon = 5
hexagon = 6

randomly assigning each a value of "5" because 15/3 = 5 isn't true to the spirit of these wretched brain teasers!
The devil really IS in the detail.

38

I got
35

The pentagon only has 2 in this pic not 3 so is worth 10
The bananas are 3 not 4 bunch and the clock is pointing at 2pm not 3pm

So BODMAS rules means you do multiplication first
(10x 3) = 30
Add the banana and the clock which is 5 altogether

2+ 3 + (3x10)

Ignore me the shape is worth 11 not 10.
So the question would be (3x11) and add the 5

So 38

@GettingStuffed

Unfortunately there's two types of maths. The stuff we did in schools years ago when you worked left to right unless there were brackets, this new maths means to do things in a particular order.

Who decided this way was better? So it's possible to be two "correct" answers depending on when you went to school.

I'm 55, this is not 'new' maths.

I get 38

top line each straight line =1 so 4+5+6=15 lines per shape, the last one is missing the square so =11

The bunch of bananas each banana =1 so in row 2 the bunch is 4

The clock = time displayed

I make it 38. Now off to rtft and see how many agree with me.

@ClumpingBambooIsALie

It's one of those Facebook things where you've got to look closely at things like the exact number of bananas in the bunch. It's counting on you assuming they're the same symbol because you've been conditioned by years of school maths problems. Irritating.

Yeah redoing it on this basis I end up with 88. But my eyes can’t really see the bananas clearly enough.

It always makes me laugh on these threads (or IRL actually) when people claim maths has changed and BODMAS didn't exist when they were at school (including my brother, who is younger than me. I definitely learned BODMAS so how he thinks they hadn't invented it when we were at school is anyone's guess)

I have a friend in his 90s. He has a maths degree from Oxford. When he was helping me with some maths a few years ago he asked if I knew about order of operations. I had actually forgotten it, but once he explained remembered. And knew it as BODMAS.

But if it existed when he was at school 70-80 years ago, it must have existed when MNetters were at school. (I can't imagine we have many, or indeed any, users in their 90s)

I vote for 38, but I also think 67 is a fair answer. Not everyone who needs glasses can be bothered finding them and nor should they have to.