• Truscape@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    2 months ago

    Presuming PEMDAS is our order of operations and the 5 next to the parentheses indicates multiplication…

    2+5(8-5) -> 2+5(3) -> 2+15=17

    Other than adding a multiplication indicator next to the left parentheses for clarification (I believe it’s * for programming and text chat purposes, a miniature “x” or dot for pen and paper/traditional calculators), this seems fine, yeah.

    …I worry about how many people may not understand how to solve equations like these.

    • TheRedSpade@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      While I never failed a math class, I also never went past high school. When would your presumptions NOT be true?

    • DarkCloud@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      I prefer BM-DAS, no one’s out here doing exponents, and no one calls brackets “parentheses”…

      • cobysev@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        The way I was taught growing up, brackets are [these]. Parenthesis are (these).

        Yes, technically the latter are also brackets. But they can also be called parenthesis, whereas the former is exclusively a bracket. So we were taught to call them separate words to differentiate while doing equations.

      • Cethin@lemmy.zip
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        2 months ago

        Technically not algebra, right? Algebra is where you move things around and solve for variables, and that kind of thing. This is just arithmetic.

          • Cethin@lemmy.zip
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            1 month ago

            I don’t think you’re right. The wiki page literally uses a similar equation as an example of “elementary arithmetic.” It also uses a similar one, but with variables, as an example in “elementary algebra.” That implies that yes, this is arithmetic, and the introduction of variables is what makes it algebra.

            It doesn’t matter what course finally teaches it to you. That could be just out of convenience, not by definition part of that domain. It’s been ages since I took it, though I could swear I learned this in pre-algebra (meaning before algebra), or earlier. I could be wrong on this though. Again, it’s been a very long time.

            • I don’t think you’re right

              You don’t think Maths textbooks are right??

              The wiki page

              is full of disinformation. Note that they literally never cite any Maths textbooks

              as an example of “elementary arithmetic.”

              And whichever Joe Blow My Next Door Neighbour wrote that is wrong

              as an example in “elementary algebra.”

              Algebra isn’t taught until high school

              That implies that yes, this is arithmetic,

              No, anything with a(b+c) is Algebra, taught in Year 7

              the introduction of variables is what makes it algebra

              and the rules of Algebra, which includes a(b+c)=(ab+ac). There is no such rule in Arithmetic.

              It doesn’t matter what course finally teaches it to you

              It does if you’re going to argue over whether it’s Arithmetic or Algebra.

              not by definition part of that domain

              The Distributive Law is 100% part of Algebra. It’s one of the very first things taught (right after pronumerals and substitution).

              It’s been ages since I took it

              I teach it. We teach it to Year 7, at the start of Algebra