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?

3 + 4 + (4 x 15)
because BODMAS.

Do you have a y6 or secondary age child? Ask them about BODMAS, they should know.

66

Yup type it into your phone/google and it will apply bodmas....

BIDMAS:

3 + 4 + (4 x 15) = 67

You don't need the bracket; it is implied as multiplication comes first.

@TulaOfDarkWater

You do brackets first.
Then multiplication or divide.
Then plus or minus.

This has no brackets so skip to the next. Which is the multiplication. You multiply the 2 numbers together then move to the next stage, which is adding the other numbers on.

Multiplication first, just of the 2 numbers beside the x sign. Then you add on the rest.

@shouldistop

3+4+(4x15)= 67

That was mine too

(), or / first
xor divide second

• or - last

Not quite right:
() first B
then ^ (to the power of) O
x or / next (/ means divide) DM

• or - last AS

@Counterpane

66

Seriously? Have you even read anything on this thread?

It is either 38 or 35. There is not enough information to get it down to one or the other. It could be both.

@Viviennemary

All the shapes change if you look carefully even the bananas. Is this a trick question. I got told in maths if there are no brackets you just do the sum from start to finish. Has this changed now. Wouldn't surprise me.

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.

2 + 3 + 3 x 11 = 38

Using bodmas

To account for the changing symbols my answer is now

2+3+(3x11) = 38

Definitely 165
Square = 15
Banana = 4
Clock - 3

No brackets in the last sum

@shouldistop

Except the shape in the last sum isn't exactly the same as in the first but I assume that's a mistake?

I didn't spot that.

Based on that I would say:
2 + 3 + (3 × 11) = 38

2 o'clock
And 3 bananas
11 sides.

165 (because there’s no bracket)

67 surely

3+4+(4X15)

If there are no brackets present do the multiplication before addition

Also born in 1975, definitely taught the order of operations although I don't think it was called BODMAS then (BODMAS now).

Anyway, I got 38 but concede you could argue that each shape could be worth five, making it 35. I don't think the numbers of sides adding up to 15 is coincidence, but that brings us into the realm of attempting to read the question setter's mind, and I can't be doing with that.

Impossible to say, because the clock and the shape are different.

@BasiliskFace

I have my dad's school books from the 70s. He thought they would be helpful for me. I couldn't throw them away after he kept them all that time.
I've just checked them and they teach you the correct order.

According to BIDMAS - 67.

*BIDMAS now, for crying out loud. Phones autocorrect clearly only recognises BODMAS.

@StrongSunglasses

165 (because there’s no bracket)

It is 35 or 38. Can you explain how you got 165?

Grey thingy is 15
2 bananas plus a grey thingy is 23 so a banana is 4
a banana plus two clocks is 10 so a clock is 3

That is easy

The disagreement is because some people paid attention in maths lessons, and other people just punch numbers into a calculator.

In maths, we are taught that in the absence of any other indication of what order to do things in, the correct sequence is

B O D M A S

Brackets (if present)

Order (squares, cubes, roots etc)

Division/multiplication

Addition/subtraction.

If you follow this rule you get
3+4+(4X15) so 67

If you just punch the numbers into a calculator without thinking BODMAS then you get (3+4+4)X15=165

There are thousands of near-identical "memes" in social media which exploit this confusion. The majority of them are created by phishers who are just trying to get users to interact with their posts in order to harvest information about facebook users or boost the visibility of their pages by having content that a large number of people argue about. No one actually cares what the answer is. It is best to ignore them all.

It's 38

@BuanoKubiamVej

Grey thingy is 15 2 bananas plus a grey thingy is 23 so a banana is 4 a banana plus two clocks is 10 so a clock is 3

That is easy

The disagreement is because some people paid attention in maths lessons, and other people just punch numbers into a calculator.

In maths, we are taught that in the absence of any other indication of what order to do things in, the correct sequence is

B O D M A S

Brackets (if present)

Order (squares, cubes, roots etc)

Division/multiplication

Addition/subtraction.

If you follow this rule you get
3+4+(4X15) so 67

If you just punch the numbers into a calculator without thinking BODMAS then you get (3+4+4)X15=165

There are thousands of near-identical "memes" in social media which exploit this confusion. The majority of them are created by phishers who are just trying to get users to interact with their posts in order to harvest information about facebook users or boost the visibility of their pages by having content that a large number of people argue about. No one actually cares what the answer is. It is best to ignore them all.

It isnt though.

It is 38 or 35. There isnt enough information to get it down to one or the other.