A lot of people are having trouble with this math problem that requires some basic algebra
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Nothing like a viral mind boggling math problem to make you feel like you should have paid better attention in high school algebra.
The equation in question? 9 – 3 ÷ 1/3 + 1 = ? The deceptively simply math problem recently blew up in Japan, as people quickly found they were routinely getting the wrong answer. According to PopSugar, only 60 percent of 20-somethings solve it correctly, a study showed.
So what is the remaining 40 percent doing right? YouTube user MindYourDecisions shows you, bringing in mathematician Presh Talwalkar, the man behind the problem, to explain how it’s done.
https://youtu.be/07Abat5iBbw
The trick is to remember PEMDAS, the order of operations formula, which stands for parentheses, exponents, multiplication, division, addition, subtraction. As Talwalkar explains, this means first tackling 3 ÷ 1/3. Three divided by 1/3 is nine, and then carrying along with the equation from left to right you end up with the correct answer of — drum role, please: 1!
Unfortunately, it’s been a while for many of us (or it hasn’t but we just didn’t pay that much attention in algebra) and most people who get it wrong actually fall down on entering the fraction into a calculator. Other people who get it wrong forget about PEMDAS, and simply do the equation from left to right. Common incorrect answers end up being 3, 7, or 9.
Of course, it’s just a silly math problem — or is it? According to the video, the 60% rate of correct answers is down from 90% in the 1980s. What could this big drop in accuracy suggest? Is it possible that our dependence on easy internet research and calculators means we’re committing fewer algebra principles, like PEMDAS, to memory? It’s a fascinating question, and we’re going to go look up the quadratic equation real quick, just in case.
Nothing like a viral mind boggling math problem to make you feel like you should have paid better attention in high school algebra.
The equation in question? 9 – 3 ÷ 1/3 + 1 = ? The deceptively simply math problem recently blew up in Japan, as people quickly found they were routinely getting the wrong answer. According to PopSugar, only 60 percent of 20-somethings solve it correctly, a study showed.
So what is the remaining 40 percent doing right? YouTube user MindYourDecisions shows you, bringing in mathematician Presh Talwalkar, the man behind the problem, to explain how it’s done.
https://youtu.be/07Abat5iBbw
The trick is to remember PEMDAS, the order of operations formula, which stands for parentheses, exponents, multiplication, division, addition, subtraction. As Talwalkar explains, this means first tackling 3 ÷ 1/3. Three divided by 1/3 is nine, and then carrying along with the equation from left to right you end up with the correct answer of — drum role, please: 1!
Unfortunately, it’s been a while for many of us (or it hasn’t but we just didn’t pay that much attention in algebra) and most people who get it wrong actually fall down on entering the fraction into a calculator. Other people who get it wrong forget about PEMDAS, and simply do the equation from left to right. Common incorrect answers end up being 3, 7, or 9.
Of course, it’s just a silly math problem — or is it? According to the video, the 60% rate of correct answers is down from 90% in the 1980s. What could this big drop in accuracy suggest? Is it possible that our dependence on easy internet research and calculators means we’re committing fewer algebra principles, like PEMDAS, to memory? It’s a fascinating question, and we’re going to go look up the quadratic equation real quick, just in case.
Comments
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i got 1.. didnt seem hard to me.
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I got 4, but then Maths was never my strong subject.
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I got 7
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7 Is right answer?
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9 - 3 + 1 = 7.
So 7 1\3.. Not that hard -
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Terrible terrible terrible at remembering steps. -
9-(3÷(1/3))+1 is how the problem should have been ordered.
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answer should be 7 if you use PEMDAS. Division, Addition, and Subtraction were the three that you used.
division first 3 divided by 1/3 = 1
addition next 1+1= 2
subtraction next 9-2= 7
Parenthesis
Exponents
Multiplication
Division
Addition
Subtraction -
PEMDAS was what came to mind. Easy problem as I have solved harder.
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answer should be 7 if you use PEMDAS. Division, Addition, and Subtraction were the three that you used.
division first 3 divided by 1/3 = 1
addition next 1+1= 2
subtraction next 9-2= 7
Parenthesis
Exponents
Multiplication
Division
Addition
Subtraction
You got flip the fraction when dividing by one (reciprocal).
3x1/3 is 1
3/(1/3) is 9
9-9=0
+1=1 -
Man i haven't done algebra since 8th grade. Ain't nobody got time for that. lol
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This is the math I am reading. Ive been sayin its hard. ? stupid as ? . U think u smart but u aint. I actually finished math 2 weeks ago and im done im so happy i made it.
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answer should be 7 if you use PEMDAS. Division, Addition, and Subtraction were the three that you used.
division first 3 divided by 1/3 = 1
addition next 1+1= 2
subtraction next 9-2= 7
Parenthesis
Exponents
Multiplication
Division
Addition
Subtraction
Multiplication/division and addition/subtraction are interchangeable since they are really just the opposite of one another. Once the brackets are done you do multiplication/division which ever comes first going left to right, then addition/subtraction which ever comes first continuing going left to right. So 3 ÷ (1/3) is 9 and the subtraction comes before addition so 9 - 9 is 0 and 0 + 1=1
We used to call it BODMAS on the west side....Bracket of Divison, Multiplication, addition and subtraction....using that easily solves the equation. -
dontdiedontkillanyon wrote: »I got 4, but then Maths was never my strong subject.
How did you get four?
I think I divided 6 by 2 at that awkward bit and then went on from there.
This is someone who had to resit GCSE Maths twice just to get a C grade. I could never deal with the subject. -
Math is literally as simple as following directions bruh.
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dallas' 4 eva wrote: »Math is literally as simple as following directions bruh.
I'm ? at that too. -
Scientific calculator says .999999999999 or 1.
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Wtf is pedmas, bedmas, bumpy jonas
All i know is 3 ÷1/3 comes first , that =9
The order after that doesn't matter
9-9+1 any way you slice it = 1
Lmao @ 'well it depends how u was raised' ? no. There's 1 way to do it and 1 answer -
Wtf is pedmas, bedmas, bumpy jonas
All i know is 3 ÷1/3 comes first , that =9
The order after that doesn't matter
9-9+1 any way you slice it = 1
Lmao @ 'well it depends how u was raised' ? no. There's 1 way to do it and 1 answer
You really are an enigma lmfao -
I got -7 if I followed pmdas correctly that should be the answer.
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S/n, if its all division/ multiplication, or all subtraction/ addition, the order doesn't matter
9-9+1
(9-9 = 0), +1 = 1, or
9 +(-9+1=-8) , 9+-8= 1
(1 + 9 =10) +-9 = 1
Obviously
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I got -1
If I'm wrong, I need my money back -
We call it BODMAS here too, coz we call em brackets.
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I got yellow