The order of operations says:
Parentheses - Exponents - Multiplication - Division - Addition - Subtraction
With the priority going from left to right.
By that logic, the problem should go like this:
48÷2(9+3)
48÷2(12) the parenthesis go first, naturally.
48÷24 Next comes multiplication, between the 2 and the 12.
2 Being that there is only one action left, the answer is two.
The trouble with this particular problem is that multiplication and division (like addition and subtraction) are often given the same priority status. The answer you come up with depends on what version of the order of operations your algebra teacher taught you in high school.
Exactly. Our teacher told us back in the 8th grade or 7th (i'm not sure), that Multip. and division both have the same power (Along side with subtraction and addition). And if you end up with both of them go from left to the right and what ever is first, do it first. So i'd go with 288.
[Edited by Night-Ghost, 4/9/2011 12:31:17 AM]
Throwing my vote in with 288. Good old BODMAS (our English version or the order - Brackets Over Division, Multiplication, Addition and Subtraction).
When you hear hoofbeats, don't think Zebra.
EDIT: Fixed :P
[Edited by moderator DABhand, 4/8/2011 9:18:08 PM]
We have a similar thing here, BEDMAS, Brackets > Exponents > Division/Multiplication > Addition/Subtraction
My theory in maths questions is that the higher number is more accurate.
That drove me hysterical.
According to BODMAS, brackets open first, division second, followed by multiplication, addition and substraction.
So 48/2(9+3)
= 48/2*12
= 24*12
= 288
I just realized that 2(9+3) should go first as DABhand said. So it would be everything in that bracket multiplied by 2 and then 48 divided by that answer. So the correct answer should be 2.
Exactly what I thought.