Page 1 of International bitching about a `fun` math question

So Vernon Kay has a maths question piosed by a teacher on his show every saturday. Today`s was this;

5 5 5 5 5=24

using only 4 basic mathematical actions (but not necessarily all), complete the sum

Now I`ve posted this on another forum, and they`re spouting off about PEDMAS, order of operations, using parenthesis and everything

I`ve done the sum, and you don`t need any. Just 4 basic symbols, and completing the sum (L-R) is very straightforward. are the US education methods regarding mathematics so different?

(They`re getting quite agitated)

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We had BODMAS, what does the E stand for?

I think teaching methods are quite different; IIRC this is how many American kids are/were taught how to multiply:

and I know I never encountered anything like that at any level in school.

i have no clue what that means, nothing makes sense in that grid

no wonder their economy`s buggered

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Argh, stop making me do maths on the weekend!

After some frantic numeric keypadding I got...

SPOILER:
5x5x5-5/5=24

Does BODMAS mean this is wrong?

no you`re correct, but using bodmas would give your answer +100

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I`ve got a maths degree and I`ve no idea what that BODMAS thing is.
Gareth, I`m a pedant so I have to point out that your solution is technically wrong and equals 124, though I`m sure you have the right answer in your head. Adding a ( before the first 5 and ) after the fourth 5 would make it spot on.

Stanz, the PEDMAS people on anther forum are spouting about is just a rule that says that you have to divide and multiply before you subtract and add - hence the brackets, anything inside brackets gets done first.



Have you ever drunk Baileys from a shoe?

This item was edited on Saturday, 8th May 2010, 18:52

I key Gareth`s solution straight into a calc and it comes back 24 but I can`t for the life of me "talk" myself through how it gets there!  I just want to keep putting brackets around everything!  Very frustrating.  :D

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh.  BODMAS rules!!!

BODMAS

Brackets
Order
Division
Multiplication
Addition
Subtraction

Amazing how certain things stick in your head years after school!

PEDMAS is same thing, different words.
Parenthesis instead of Brackets
Exponent instead of order

I suppose I use it when programming still without thinking about it, I chuck brackets round lots of calculations to make sure those bits are done first.

This item was edited on Saturday, 8th May 2010, 19:09

Quote:
I key Gareth`s solution straight into a calc

That`s how I`ve always done straightforward math like this

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Maths! :p