Maths Test! 2(1+2)2/(1+2)

[Defiant47]

No, it interprets 1/2pi as 1/(2*pi)

Not for me! It's telling me "1/2*pi" (where the 1/2 is in fraction format) - i.e. pi/2 = 1.5707...

So, according to WolframAlpha that everyone here regards as God of mathematics that is the final decider of such things...

1/2pi = pi/2
1/npi = 1/(n*pi), and for n=2, it equals 1/(2*pi)

Therefore pi/2 = 1/(2*pi)

 

[Mise]

xpost - yeah I get the same as Defiant47.

And if you write 1/a×b?

What if you use 1÷a×b?

Oh, wherever you see me type "*", just imagine that I'm writing the cross symbol. So when I type 1/a*b, imagine I'm writing 1/a×b.

And I haven't written the divide symbol since I was in school


P.S. don't mistake my babblings about dots here as definitive. That's just the way I've always used it and seen it used at university. Euros tend to use dots instead of crosses for multiplication as a rule, so it might be different for them... And English ppl avoid it, cos it confuses things with decimals...

 

[Takhisis]

Boundless (OP) is probably laughing her socks off at us maths nerds (probs while reading a book about the French Revolution or something - which doesn't mention Galois).

Erm, she already is.

Oh, wherever you see me type "*", just imagine that I'm writing the cross symbol.

Ah, fine.

And I haven't written the divide symbol since I was in school

But it's way more fun to use complicated symbols like ×÷±ij…≠

 

[Defiant47]

xpost - yeah I get the same as Defiant47.


Oh, wherever you see me type "*", just imagine that I'm writing the cross symbol. So when I type 1/a*b, imagine I'm writing 1/a×b.

And I haven't written the divide symbol since I was in school


P.S. don't mistake my babblings about dots here as definitive. That's just the way I've always used it and seen it used at university. Euros tend to use dots instead of crosses for multiplication as a rule, so it might be different for them... And English ppl avoid it, cos it confuses things with decimals...

In Canada, we use large dots centred in the middle. Kind of like the dot you'd use in matrix dot product. They typically mean explicit multiplication.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

I've explained that beer is the real problem, not WolframAlpha.

 

[Rashiminos]

I think we've established that mathematicianal laziness makes calculators harder to code.

At far as I have been instructed notation-wise,

6/2(1+2) = 9
6/(2(1+2)) = 1

Implicit Multiplication?

Explicit Brackets. Show me those explicit brackets.

(Implicit multiplication is a functional composite of bracket and multiplication)

But it's clearer if you write

 3 
--- x
 2

than if you write 3/2 x. (3/2) x is better.

I tend to write

3x 
---
 2

when I mean one thing, and

 3 
---
2x

when I mean the other.

If I'm typing I get explicit. I find this can save a lot of trouble when exponentiating.

Spoiler :

Some calculators~ might handle
2^2^2^2^2^2^2^2
differently than
2^(2^(2^(2^(2^(2^(2^(2)))))))

Knuth had a shorter notation iirc.
~Calculators being meant loosely, ofc.

 

[NickyJ]

Thanks for changing the input once again. You continue missing the point.

There was no change in input.

 

[Rashiminos]

1/2pi = pi/2
1/npi = 1/(n*pi), and for n=2, it equals 1/(2*pi)

Therefore pi/2 = 1/(2*pi)

Not for me.

WolframAlpha does not treat 1/npi and 1/2pi in the same way, so your conclusion does not follow.

 

[cardgame]

protip: 1.5 x

 

[Takhisis]

Heh, heh, then you get into the controversy generated by some countries using '.' to separate a number from its decimal parts while others use ','…

 

[Rashiminos]

Heh, heh, then you get into the controversy generated by some countries using '.' to separate a number from its decimal parts while others use ','…

The so-called universal language has dialects that reflect the history of its speakers.

The calculators in the OP have different orders of operation. Quel horreur.

 

[Takhisis]

Of course, I didn't even mention where you put the '.' to separate different parts of a number. Millions? Crores? Lakhs? You pick.

 

[Rashiminos]

Any good discussion of notation used in calculators involves reverse polish notation eventually. The dispute here is rather arbitrary.

6 2 / 1 2 + *
6 2 1 2 + * /

 

[Antilogic]

In Canada, we use large dots centred in the middle. Kind of like the dot you'd use in matrix dot product. They typically mean explicit multiplication.

We do the same thing here once you are out of elementary and middle school math. Otherwise, you get confused with the variable 'x'.

I haven't written a "classic" division sign (the line with the two dots) in at least a decade. Probably more.

 

[Atticus]

It's bad syntax. Like asking "How long is?"

EDIT: This is one of the reasons why kids and students shouldn't be permitted anywhere near calculators.

 

[Leoreth]

Heh, heh, then you get into the controversy generated by some countries using '.' to separate a number from its decimal parts while others use ','…

Then throw in some long scale vs. short scale number names for good measure

And I think all countries that still use ',' to separate decimal parts in this day and day should immediately switch, and I'm saying this as someone who learnt it this way. It would've saved me a lot of trouble when programming.

 

[Takhisis]

We should just change to lakhs and crores to avoid the long scale v. short scale issue. Long scale FTW!

 

[Mise]

We do the same thing here once you are out of elementary and middle school math. Otherwise, you get confused with the variable 'x'.

I haven't written a "classic" division sign (the line with the two dots) in at least a decade. Probably more.

We write "x" as a backwards c and a forwards c stuck together, so it comes out kind of italicised. This differentiates it from a multiplication symbol. Like this:

 

[Antilogic]

We write "x" as a backwards c and a forwards c stuck together, so it comes out kind of italicised. This differentiates it from a multiplication symbol. Like this:

Interesting. I find it difficult to italicize hand-written letters consistently, but that might work.

 

[mangxema]

Eh, I couldn't tell you the last time I actually had to write a multiplication sign (or a dot). Usually it doesn't need to be written (i.e. 4xy).