https://zeta.one/viral-math/

I wrote a (very long) blog post about those viral math problems and am looking for feedback, especially from people who are not convinced that the problem is ambiguous.

It’s about a 30min read so thank you in advance if you really take the time to read it, but I think it’s worth it if you joined such discussions in the past, but I’m probably biased because I wrote it :)

  • 💡𝚂𝗆𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗆𝖺𝗇 𝙰𝗉𝗉𝗌📱@programming.devEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    FACT CHECK 5/5

    most people just dismiss that, because they “already know” the answer

    Maths teachers already know how to do Maths. Huh, who would’ve thought? Next thing you’ll be telling me is English teachers know the rules of grammar and how to spell!

    and a two-sentence comment can’t convince them how and why it’s ambiguous

    Literally NOTHING can convince a Maths teacher it’s ambiguous - Maths teachers already know all the rules of Maths, and which ones you’re breaking

    Why read something if you have nothing to learn about the topic that’s so simple that you know for a fact that you are right

    To fact check it for the benefit of others

    At this point I hope you understand how and why the original problem is ambiguous

    At this point I hope you understand why it isn’t ambiguous. Tip: next time check some Maths textbooks or ask a Maths teacher

    that one of the two shouldn’t even be a thing

    Neither of them is a thing

    not everybody shares your opinion and preferences

    Facts you mean. The rules of Maths are facts

    There is no mathematically true

    There absolutely is! You just chose not to ask any experts about it

    the most important thing with this “viral math” expressions is to recognize that

    …they are all solvable by following the rules of Maths

    One could argue that there should also be a strong connection between coefficients and variables (like in r=C/2π)

    There is - The Distributive Law and Terms

    it’s fine to stick to “BIDMAS” in school but be aware that that’s not the full story

    No, BIDMAS and left to right is the full story

    If you encounter such discussions in the wild you could just post a link to this page

    No, post a link to this order of operations thread index - it has textbook references, proofs, memes, worked examples, the works!