Basic math.. Who knows it?

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Replies

  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    the answer s 7 !!!!

    and, "maths" ??!!!

    goodness. :noway:

    Maths is the abbreviated form of mathematics. It is not used in North America, but that doesn't make it incorrect.
  • nammer79
    nammer79 Posts: 664 Member
    7.

    My Dear Aunt Sally!!! <--- that's showing my work.

    now that's hot
  • treetop57
    treetop57 Posts: 1,578 Member
    what are you getting on a calculator?
    i've used 3 calculators and they say 3
    You've done it incorrectly 3 times!

    i don't know how to use a calculator then either lol

    Most calculators just do the operations in the order you enter them. I'm not surprised you get 3 with a calculator. But it is not correct, because the order of operations matters.
  • Meggeler
    Meggeler Posts: 42
    Sorry, I didn't RTFQ

    5*0 = 0
    9-5+0+3=7
  • ThePhoenixRose
    ThePhoenixRose Posts: 1,978 Member
    I'm really concerned for my kids who are in elementary school. So many teachers are getting this wrong and don't see why. Please don't justify if you're wrong. LEARN FROM IT!!!!
  • jennapony
    jennapony Posts: 73 Member
    I can't believe the amount of replies this thread is getting.

    Math is not a matter of opinion; there are absolute right and wrong answers lol

    . . . in this case it is 7 :smile:
  • RaeLB
    RaeLB Posts: 1,216 Member
    what are you getting on a calculator?
    i've used 3 calculators and they say 3
    You've done it incorrectly 3 times!

    i don't know how to use a calculator then either lol

    Most calculators just do the operations in the order you enter them. I'm not surprised you get 3 with a calculator. But it is not correct, because the order of operations matters.

    I'm learning so much tonight! Which is really good since I run a homework club for children lol they're really lucky I haven't helped any of them with their math homework
  • Meggeler
    Meggeler Posts: 42
    basicmath.jpg

    Please restore my faith in humanity...

    I know the thing says "comment with your answer only" but I would like that to say "show your work!"

    Remember elementary and middle school?

    (i apologize if i have brought back repressed memories of creepy math teachers)


    Multiply 5*0 first = 0.

    9 - 5 +0 +3 = 7

    And thank you for this. Today I was stunned when I handed someone $11 cash for a food order that was $10.90. She had to use the calculator to figure out my change. :noway:

    Ha. I handed a cashier 3.02 for a 2.57 sale and she looked at me and said "2 cents, that's it?".

    If that doesn't make you fear the future, I don't know what will. We get closer and closer to the movie Idiocracy every day.

    If I only knew how to post comments :)
  • HorrorGeek
    HorrorGeek Posts: 18 Member
    9-5+5x0+3=

    Showing my work...that would be 9-5=4....4+5=9...x0=0....+3 = 3
    My answer is 3....

    I'm an elementary teacher and if I can't do this one it means I have been away from teaching math for too too long....Now if you would have thrown some parenthesis in there...I might would have to call up my colleague to walk me throught...lol....

    I am feeling so much shame right now.

    This is going to sound terribly rude, but it must be said. This is why the state of the educational system is what it is, and why half of this thread can't answer this question - an elementary teacher cannot answer this Grade 3 math problem. As a reading teacher, that last sentence you typed should shame you even more than the lack of math skills (which is still terrifying, even if you don't teach it). What is going on in the classrooms today?
  • Meggeler
    Meggeler Posts: 42
    basicmath.jpg

    Please restore my faith in humanity...

    I know the thing says "comment with your answer only" but I would like that to say "show your work!"

    Remember elementary and middle school?

    Amen
    (i apologize if i have brought back repressed memories of creepy math teachers)

    Multiply 5*0 first = 0.

    9 - 5 +0 +3 = 7

    And thank you for this. Today I was stunned when I handed someone $11 cash for a food order that was $10.90. She had to use the calculator to figure out my change. :noway:

    Ha. I handed a cashier 3.02 for a 2.57 sale and she looked at me and said "2 cents, that's it?".

    If that doesn't make you fear the future, I don't know what will. We get closer and closer to the movie Idiocracy every day.

    Amen!
  • manda1002
    manda1002 Posts: 178 Member
    I'm really concerned for my kids who are in elementary school. So many teachers are getting this wrong and don't see why. Please don't justify if you're wrong. LEARN FROM IT!!!!


    Electronics are killing people :( Most people can't do basic math without a calculator, some can't do it with a calculator. And for a lot of people, once they're done school, they don't really need to know math, which is a shame. Math helps me grocery shop.

    I hear they're taking hand writing out of schools now too.... smh.
  • k0nfyo0zed
    k0nfyo0zed Posts: 313 Member
    What is going on in the classrooms today?

    clearly not the order of operations...
  • tzeoli86
    tzeoli86 Posts: 75 Member
    9 - 5 + 5 X 0 + 3 =
    9 + (-5) + (5 X 0) + 3 =
    9 + (-5) + 0 + 3 =
    4 + 3 = watermelon

    The answer is watermelon.
  • HorrorGeek
    HorrorGeek Posts: 18 Member
    I think my opinions on home schooling are rapidly changing....
  • momof8munchkins
    momof8munchkins Posts: 1,167 Member
    Donuts.. time to make the donuts..
    ps. the answer is 7
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    I was never taught this, as far as memory serves, and the pneumonic is completely new to me. Maths was never my strong point anyway - it was a massive struggle to come out of school with the grade I did.

    And yes, maths is correct in British English. English language is one of my stronger subjects. :tongue:
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
    9-5+5x0+3=

    Showing my work...that would be 9-5=4....4+5=9...x0=0....+3 = 3
    My answer is 3....

    I'm an elementary teacher and if I can't do this one it means I have been away from teaching math for too too long....Now if you would have thrown some parenthesis in there...I might would have to call up my colleague to walk me throught...lol....

    I am feeling so much shame right now.

    This is going to sound terribly rude, but it must be said. This is why the state of the educational system is what it is, and why half of this thread can't answer this question - an elementary teacher cannot answer this Grade 3 math problem. As a reading teacher, that last sentence you typed should shame you even more than the lack of math skills (which is still terrifying, even if you don't teach it). What is going on in the classrooms today?

    Amen, sister.
  • Wrappedinbacon
    Wrappedinbacon Posts: 49 Member
    0
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    math-fail-01.png
  • RaeLB
    RaeLB Posts: 1,216 Member
    some of you need to lighten up
    i don't think answers to this math equation predict the fate of humanity
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    what are you getting on a calculator?
    i've used 3 calculators and they say 3
    You've done it incorrectly 3 times!

    i don't know how to use a calculator then either lol

    Most 4-function calculators cannot do order of operations correctly. If you use a scientific calculator which can evaluate multiple operations at once (for a free online one, go to wolframalpha.com), you will get the correct answer of 7.
  • si_puedo
    si_puedo Posts: 138 Member
    3
  • jnhu72
    jnhu72 Posts: 558 Member
    7!
  • dovesgate
    dovesgate Posts: 894 Member
    This thread makes me very sad by the way... yikes....

    Me too. I feel utterly stoopid now. :huh: :noway: :grumble: :embarassed: :frown: :sad:
  • love22step
    love22step Posts: 1,103 Member
    7

    Please excuse my dear Aunt Sally (PEMDAS)

    Order of Operations: Parentheses, Exponents, Multiply, Divide, Add, Subtract
  • Dan112358
    Dan112358 Posts: 525 Member
    Blerg. Time to start drinking.
  • mommared53
    mommared53 Posts: 9,543 Member
    Well, in my defense, (and my answer was 12 btw) I'm 58 so it's been a long, long time since I studied basic math. Even back in grade school I was terrible at math and I don't remember anything about Aunt Sally. Now spelling on the other hand . . .
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
    some of you need to lighten up
    i don't think answers to this math equation predict the fate of humanity

    Maybe math illiteracy in the general public won't destroy humanity. However, education is my life's passion, and it's seriously depressing me how it has failed so many.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    If you use simple math like you learn in elementary school, there is no negative numbers. it would go 9 - 5 = 4 + 5 = 9 X 0 = 0 + 3 = 3. This is why my first anwser was 3. Hmmm

    The other problem (and not to be mean, just picking on your quote because this is a common error) is that you are writing equals between things that are not equal. 9-4 is not equal to 4+5. This causes no end of problems in more advanced math classes -- where people actually need to work with strings of equalities.

    So a shout-out to the elementary teachers out there -- please don't teach your students to write this. We have to spend so much time un-teaching it at university.
  • treetop57
    treetop57 Posts: 1,578 Member
    Most 4-function calculators cannot do order of operations correctly. If you use a scientific calculator which can evaluate multiple operations at once (for a free online one, go to wolframalpha.com), you will get the correct answer of 7.

    To my surprise the windows calculator gets this problem right. I'd never trust a calculator with something like this though so I didn't know it would get it right!

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