Viral Maths Problems
Each year we are treated to another viral maths problem. Can you solve (insert bad equation here)? The answer is rarely given, and the equation is poorly structured. So, lets unpack one such problem and explain why I believe they are so badly formed. Example The last one I saw online was the challenge: Can you solve? 8 ÷ 2(2+2) My first observation is the unusual use of ÷ (mathematicians prefer / ) and bad bracketing. Let us clean up the expression to clear up some ambiguity: 8 ÷ 2 × (2+2) This makes it much easier to the next step of applying BODMAS . The order of operations here are: Solve the Brackets, then From left to right apply division's and multiplications From left to right apply addition's and subtraction's Here: division and multiplication have equal precedence as do addition and subtraction. Applying these operations gives: 8 ÷ 2(2+2) = 8 ÷ 2 × (2 + 2) = 8...