40+40x0+1 ?

[minimuffy]

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!

schnitzelvoncrumm

Not met carinal numbers yet, so will have to believe you on that.
However, surely if you had infinite carinals it wouldn't necessarily mean infinity on each side?

Anyway, I will shut the fuck up and wait till next year when number theory comes up.

Quite worried about the number of people on here, and on Facebook, who've answered 1 to this.

I'm not, really. I mean, people are still applying the logic they've remembered, but they have forgotten, or weren't paying attention when the 'rules' were taught. Like me, they might remember that you solve what's in the brackets first, but otherwise they approach it sequentially from left to right like a sentence, or like a set of verbal instructions. An important aspect that I'd forgotten, if i ever knew it, was that you only multiply numbers immediately either side of the times symbol. Now I've realised how to crack the code, thanks to this thread, I can do it!

I saw this morning that my husband has answered this on Facebook and I am relieved to note he got it right.

I saw a copy and pasted status on there the other day which said something like "if you add your age to the year that you were born you always come up with 2011 - how weird!" Well yes.

you always multiply first.The answer is 41.

Had the same disagreement with my DP, I thought it was 41, he is the maths whizz of this house and says the answer is 1.

Endo - oh dear, this was a great revelation was it... and not 'always' true anyway.

Congratulations PYBN, you may consider yourself promoted to House Maths Whizz.

This thread has really really blown my mind in a fantastic brain-using way.

Can we ask for this to go in Classics?

Oh and could someone please explain the 40 + 40/0 +1 to me?

My mathematician friend says it's 42, as anything divided by zero is 1, but SURELY that's not right and she's crazy mistaken?

Your friend surely isn't a mathematician if she think everything divided by zero is 1.

41. B. Never heard of BODMAS but it seems to be a mnemonic for the rules that have always applied.

The reason people can't find the right answer is that they are trying to skip steps because we are so used to calculators. If you write it in steps, it is easy to see what the answer is:

Q: 40 + 40 x 0 + 1 =?

We use BODMAS, so...

Step 1: Are there any Brackets? NO
Step 2: Are there any Orders? NO
Step 3: Are there any D*ivisions? NO

STEP 4: Are there any Multiplications? YES

Step 5: So do the Multiplication, and rewrite the question:

The x sign has two numbers either side of it, so they are the ones you use.

40x0=0

Step 6: Rewrite: 40 + 0 + 1=?

Step 7: Are there any more Multiplications? NO

Step 8: Are there any Additions? YES

Step 9: So do the first Addition and rewrite the question:

The first + sign has two numbers either side of it, so they are the ones you use.

40+0=40

Step 10: Rewrite: 40 + 1=?

Step 11: Are there any more Additions? YES

Step 12: So do the next Addition and rewrite the question:

The + sign has two numbers either side of it, so use them.

40 + 1=41

Step 13: Are there any more Additions? NO

Step 14: Are there any Subtractions? NO

Therefore your answer was reached at Step 12 and is 41.

Obviously once you are familiar with the process, you will naturally contract the steps, and might not even be aware that you are using them. But if you use BODMAS fluently, those are the steps your brain will take, even if you aren't conscious of it.

40 + 40/0 + 1 = infinity + 41.
now, because infinity is infinite, technically you can't add anything to it, so it has to be
40 + 40/0 + 1 = infinity

I agree its 41
40 + (40 x 0) + 1

you do the multiplications first - 40 x 0 = 0, the add 40, the add 1

Nice post Lougle.

Any one who doesn't get it should refer to Lougle's post @ Fri 11-Nov-11 10:30:25

nicklebabe,

40/0 = 8 (but 8 is written on its side and means lots)

SayCoolNowSayWhip, is you friend a fan of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. You could give her any sum to do and her answer will always be 42.

I think we need another thread re dividing by zero and infinity cause I'm not getting that - very muddled about that!

TP - that's what I said.

I tried to do a keyboard shortcut for infinity, but it printed out as ý

nickle, that was my attempt at a joke.

Lougle, you should actually ask if there are any divisions OR multiplications and any additions OR subractions - if there are, you go from left to right. Otherwise it could be understood that you always have to do all additions and then all subtractions, which is not correct.

TP - rubbish - Must try harder