<p>2 or 288? Boom.</p>
<p>The answer is 2.</p>
<p>You go from left to right, hence 288.</p>
<p>I would think another way to write it would be</p>
<h2> 48</h2>
<p>2(9+3)</p>
<p>But wait, I see how it could be written differently. So if the rule is left to right, then okay.</p>
<p>Set it up as 48y = 2(9+3)x, that would simplify to 2y = x. Then graph it. When y = 1, that’s the answer. xD</p>
<p>Ok, seriously, what’s the answer…?</p>
<p>It’s 2. Learn yo’ PEMDAS, brah.</p>
<p>It’s designed to be ambiguous.</p>
<p>Try wolfram alpha</p>
<p>Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using CC App</p>
<p>48%2(9+3)
PEMDAS -> parenthesis first</p>
<p>48%2(12)
PEMDAS -> multiplication next</p>
<p>48%(2*12)
48%24</p>
<p>48%24 = 2</p>
<p>I thought PEMDAS was more of P - E - M/D - A/S. You know, given that any multiplication can be turned into division and any addition can be turned into subtraction, and vice versa on both.</p>
<p>It is. But in this case the multiplication would come first because you’re multiplying one with parentheses. I don’t know if Aj was implying that or not.</p>
<p>Whatever. The answer is 2. :P</p>
<p>PEMDAS trumps the “left to right” rule. You only apply “left to right” when you can perform two operations of equal priority (like multiplication and division, or addition and subtraction). Consider the following example:</p>
<p>12 ÷ 6 x 2</p>
<p>The correct answer is 4. Since multiplication and division have the same priority, you work from left to right. Hence, you must divide before you multiply.</p>
<p>288.</p>
<p>10char</p>
<p>Second grade was pretty fun, I suppose. Thanks for the nostalgia!</p>
<p>288</p>
<p>Multiplication and division come before addition and subtraction.
Do X and / from left to right, same for + and -</p>
<p>Yup. Change my answer to 288. Same reasoning as above: divide by 2 besides multiplying.</p>
<p>Right, Khrisstian, so what do you say :)</p>
<p>When I went to work today, I emailed this to all my directs. Only one of them got the right answer. I sked my boss, he also gave the wrong answer. I have to say that I am really surprised. This is something people should have learned in 3-5th grade.</p>
<p>I’m going to end this debate right now.</p>
<p>The answer is unequivocally 288.</p>
<p>See here.</p>
<p>48/2(9+3).</p>
<p>Ok. First we do the parentheses or brackets.</p>
<p>48/2(12).</p>
<p>No. No those parentheses don’t matter anymore. Because they only surround a number, and not any operations. So we move on.</p>
<p>No exponents, so its either multiplication or division whichever occurs left to right.</p>
<p>Division first then.</p>
<p>24(12).</p>
<p>Then multiplication.</p>
<p>288.</p>
<p>■■■■■■ happy?</p>