Close enough. Remember cancelling is basically a shortcut for going like this: a.b = c.b a = (c.b)/b same as a = c.b/b a = c But if b=0 then the result is undefined. In the case above a^2 - a.b where a=b would be 0.
Shucks all i wanted was the answer to the area of my 7 1/2 sided tank's inner surface. Sorry for the confusion.....................................
GUYS, you all complicate things. Go to a scientific calculator, or even better... open up that programme with all the little blocks in it (I think it's called excel ) and type the following: "=48/2(9+3)" you will get the mathematically correct answer... you HAVE to use a scientific calculator cause it is programmed to work according to the rules.
echo '48/2*(9+3)' | bc 288 If you really can not do this without the aid of something that consumes electricity ...
These are two different answers. I asked my dad (a high school maths teacher) to have a look and he said that in the first one, the 48 would be the numerator and the 2(9+3) would be the denominator. It depends on how you write it down.
2! The answer is 2! For the love of Java Moss, the answer is 2! :banghead: The only way for it to be 288 is if it was written (48/2)(9+3) I need a drink....:beerglass:
if BODMAS does not do it for you see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_operations under the section Gaps in the standard " The string of characters "1/2x" is interpreted by the above conventions as (1/2)x. The contrary interpretation should be written explicitly as 1/(2x). Again, the use of brackets will clarify the meaning and should be used if there is any chance of misinterpretation." Oh and BTW 2! actually means 2x1 still happens to equal 2 but easy with that bang ah implied factorial could be good food for another OT thread. Later Ferdie
