andsome Posted November 23, 2007 Report Share Posted November 23, 2007 There are two chances here.1/ Common sense prevails and the correct mathematical answer is 14or 2/ this is a trick question with a daft answer. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rong Posted November 23, 2007 Report Share Posted November 23, 2007 Common sense is 20 as there are no brackets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gandalph Posted November 23, 2007 Report Share Posted November 23, 2007 In engineering the answer would be 14. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tankus Posted November 23, 2007 Report Share Posted November 23, 2007 I just took my socks off .......= 20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Posted November 23, 2007 Report Share Posted November 23, 2007 I'm better with words You most certainly are, Pushkin. :D I suppose we all have our favoured strengths and comfort zones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb Posted November 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2007 Thanks for the great explanation, Alan, in your post!No, it was not a trick question after all. A few days ago we had dinner with friends, and after placing our orders, one friend (a British lady) handed out a little piece of paper to everyone. It read2 + 3 x 4 ="Please just give me your answer, one by one."Which we did. "14." "20." "20." "14."Interesting! More interesting, all Japanese answered "14", and all Europeans said "20".I was unsure what to answer. As a simple human I would say "20", but as a software engineer the answer would definitely be "14". I am glad that Alan posted a scientific explanation for the problem.And I am happy that the poll results are almost equal for both numbers B)P.S. I think to distinguish between the personal me and the professional me:2 + 3 x 4 = 202 + 3 * 4 = 14P.P.S. In future, always use parenthesis in such cases, to make it absolutely clear:(2 + 3) x 4 = 202 + (3 x 4) = 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Posted November 24, 2007 Report Share Posted November 24, 2007 Algebra and simultaneous equations were my favourites in school. :D Lots of things which we were taught, I just could not see the reason for doing at the time.It's amazing how much of this I have actually unwittingly used during my lifetime, particularly in computer applications. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchful Posted November 24, 2007 Report Share Posted November 24, 2007 My school favourites were Art and English and, apart from using figures, which I did as a bookkeeper, can't say I've needed many mathematical formulae in my lifetime, with or without computer B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted November 24, 2007 Report Share Posted November 24, 2007 Thanks for the great explanation, Alan, in your post!No, it was not a trick question after all. A few days ago we had dinner with friends, and after placing our orders, one friend (a British lady) handed out a little piece of paper to everyone. It read2 + 3 x 4 ="Please just give me your answer, one by one."Which we did. "14." "20." "20." "14."Interesting! More interesting, all Japanese answered "14", and all Europeans said "20".I was unsure what to answer. As a simple human I would say "20", but as a software engineer the answer would definitely be "14". I am glad that Alan posted a scientific explanation for the problem.And I am happy that the poll results are almost equal for both numbers B)P.S. I think to distinguish between the personal me and the professional me:2 + 3 x 4 = 202 + 3 * 4 = 14P.P.S. In future, always use parenthesis in such cases, to make it absolutely clear:(2 + 3) x 4 = 202 + (3 x 4) = 14I am very surprised if as you say most Europeans answered 20. At all schools that I attended, we were always taught that if there were no brackets, you assumed that there were, and did the multiplication and division FIRST, followed by addition and subtraction. Hence the answer to a European, or at least a Brit, should always be 14. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doug Posted November 24, 2007 Report Share Posted November 24, 2007 Except when you have a mental aberation and suddenly see an x instead of a +. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb Posted November 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2007 Except when you have a mental aberation and suddenly see an x instead of a +.perbag1:That is just a minuscule rotation of 45°... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doug Posted November 24, 2007 Report Share Posted November 24, 2007 Right I'm going to see my doctor to say I've now got minuscule rotations! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarthy © ® ™ Posted November 24, 2007 Report Share Posted November 24, 2007 My fave at school was going into Curry's/Comet etc and playing on their display Amstrads/ Commadores/ Spectrums games! We did have the dinner ladies skrikes to contend with tho, which made this alot easier! And then there was the divorce of my parents and my father NOT being there and been in foreign countries working! This led to a shop lifting phaze @ 14yrs and mixing with the wrong crowd! I did do well and got 23% in mathematics in the fourth year! (I changed this to 83% on my report and THEY NEVER EVEN NOTICED!!!) - Too busy wrecking our lives and tearing the family apart to be bothered. I was offered, as a bribe by my mother, £100 for every 'O' level and £200 for every 'A' level that I got, and I got none. I later, at collage, did get an 'O' level in English, a CPVE in Computers, a City and Guilds in Typing and a BTEC in Computers Studies and she had the nerve to say that "the £100/£200 thing was ONLY while I was at school!" --- Don't you just love families!?!?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Posted November 24, 2007 Report Share Posted November 24, 2007 My fave at school was going into Curry's/Comet etc and playing on their display Amstrads/ Commadores/ Spectrums games! We did have the dinner ladies skrikes to contend with tho, which made this alot easier! And then there was the divorce of my parents and my father NOT being there and been in foreign countries working! This led to a shop lifting phaze @ 14yrs and mixing with the wrong crowd! I did do well and got 23% in mathematics in the fourth year! (I changed this to 83% on my report and THEY NEVER EVEN NOTICED!!!) - Too busy wrecking our lives and tearing the family apart to be bothered. I was offered, as a bribe by my mother, £100 for every 'O' level and £200 for every 'A' level that I got, and I got none. I later, at collage, did get an 'O' level in English, a CPVE in Computers, a City and Guilds in Typing and a BTEC in Computers Studies and she had the nerve to say that "the £100/£200 thing was ONLY while I was at school!" --- Don't you just love families!?!?!? In spite of the obstacles in life, looks like you came good in the end, Scarthy. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarthy © ® ™ Posted November 24, 2007 Report Share Posted November 24, 2007 ThanQ Irene xXx ;) It has been difficult and it was their mess really, I just wish we hadn't suffered like we did really? They didn't handle it well and we were put 'in the middle' quite alot and 'talking about things' was never a priority of theirs! We are both (me and my bro) scarred with their problems and life has been difficult as a result. Trusting people has plagued us both over the years. I have found a partner now, who I love dearly, and I want to spend the rest of my life with! The past is always there and it does leave a 'nasty taste' but we are trying to cope the best we can. Life goes on... To hear them talk "we had everything that we ever wanted as kids", but all we ever wanted was "stability, communication and spiritual warmth" instead of the arguing, coldness and battling between each other constantly. My dad died earlier this year, after 18months of suffering cancer, and still during this - 1 in one room and 1 in the other, complaining about the other constantly and never really 'talking to each other'? Thank god that I have found someone who I can talk to and who loves me! It was sad to see them "still in a state, even at the end", when things should have been talked about and their differences resolved! My dad was the only one who did communicate with us, and I miss him dearly! My mum has fallen out with me and walked all over my dads wishes that he made to me. Life goes on and you've just got to keep coping with it. Look forward and NOT back, "live for today as tomorrow is promised to no-one!" ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted November 24, 2007 Report Share Posted November 24, 2007 Much as I sympathise, I am still tring to work out what any of this has to do with the problem that Pat set us. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarthy © ® ™ Posted November 24, 2007 Report Share Posted November 24, 2007 ...just me waffling on in the lounge?!?! I saw what Irene and others put about when they were at school and it all came back! Sorry, I did answer 14 tho! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted November 24, 2007 Report Share Posted November 24, 2007 ...just me waffling on in the lounge?!?! I saw what Irene and others put about when they were at school and it all came back! Sorry, I did answer 14 tho! So did I, we must be brighter than a lot on here. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Posted November 24, 2007 Report Share Posted November 24, 2007 Much as I sympathise, I am still tring to work out what any of this has to do with the problem that Pat set us. :DCome on now, andsome, we did respond to the thread.This is 'The Lounge', so lets give and take a little.Sometimes, it's good to share things. It helps occasionally. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gandalph Posted November 24, 2007 Report Share Posted November 24, 2007 This is 'The Lounge', so lets give and take a little.Sometimes, it's good to share things. It helps occasionally. :)Well, I'll take if you are giving, my little Lotus Blossom. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchful Posted November 24, 2007 Report Share Posted November 24, 2007 Sorry to hear of your troubles scarthy and it is good to talk....the most important thing in life. I'm glad you have found someone you can love and trust Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Posted November 24, 2007 Report Share Posted November 24, 2007 This is 'The Lounge', so lets give and take a little. Sometimes, it's good to share things. It helps occasionally. :) Well, I'll take if you are giving, my little Lotus Blossom. :D I am a loving, giving person. ;) Just catch my Blossom as it falls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchful Posted November 24, 2007 Report Share Posted November 24, 2007 Me too. I'm a Friday's child Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Posted November 24, 2007 Report Share Posted November 24, 2007 Me too. I'm a Friday's child What time on Friday?I was about 6pm, I think. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchful Posted November 24, 2007 Report Share Posted November 24, 2007 Just before midnight on the 21st of April. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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