interesting puzzle

[ZUB]

Thirty-six minus ten =

3 + 3 + 3 x 3 =

20 - 15 =

Add The Numbers, What Is the Correct Answer.

[Dustybun]

58 comes to mind for some reason but I suppose there is a catch here

[shammydodger]

Oh please, not again!

[yinyang]

I got 58 too , dustybun. What do you mean shammydodge? Take it this is an old one and dusty and I are missing something!

[shammydodger]

It bears an uncanny resemblance (i.e. is identical ) to a question that was on one of those satellite TV "quiz" channels a few weeks back. By the rules of precedence in arithmetic, the "correct" answer should be 46, because multiplication takes priority over addition. However, said TV show, in order to make as much moolah as possible from mugs calling the show, decided to make up their own rules. And, of course, not tell anybody what they were. The question has appeared on here several times, too, which explains my initial exasperation.

[Dustybun]

well thanks for the warning shammy! Mind you I would have thought that the 3 x 3 should have been bracketed if it were to take precedence. It's 47 years since I got my Maths O level and I didn't even know there was such a thing as "rules of precedence in arithmetic"!! Come on yinyang, let's go to the pub!!

[shammydodger]

The rules of precedence were referred, in my schooldays (circa 25 years ago) as BODMAS, which stood for "brackets of division, multiplication, addition, subtraction." These rules meant, despite the "brackets" bit, that the operations took precedence in that order, UNLESS brackets had been used to indicate otherwise. So, in the second line of the above problem, the multiplication 3 x 3 should be done first, such that the answer for that line should be 15. If one wanted to change the order of precedence, one has to use brackets, such that the operation(s) inside the brackets is/are perfomed first.

And the pub sounds like a good idea!

[Dustybun]

thanks for the maths lesson shammy. It's obviously all far too modern for me. What on earth happened to the good old English tradition of working/ reading/etc. from left to right?

Last at the bar's a cissy!!!

[revlaz]

46, 30-6-10

[shammydodger]

I didn't see what the TV show had as the "answer", but the pedant inside me is screaming the answer "47!" Since there are only six "numbers" i.e. 3,3,3,3,20 and 15. And we are asked to add those numbers. i.e ignore the arithmetic operations above and do what the last line asks.

I'm sure that won't be the "right" answer, though.

Mine's a pint of creme de menthe.

[Dustybun]

well done shammy - I knew there was something relevant about the number of years it was since I got my Maths O level!!

Creme de menthe - shouldn't that be a litre?

We'd better wait for revlaz - I think she's gone into the wrong pub!

[scotstone]

Don't forget about the Roman numerals...IX , M, X. MI and include the -10 in your answer. Whatever you come up with it's wrong and you won't be told how the eventual answer is arrived at anyway!!!

[theprof]

Scotstone, I couldn't agree more with your final sentence.

They will pluck an answer out of the air and are under no obligation to explain how the figure was arrived at.

[shammydodger]

Scotstone

Agreed!

People should leave these "quizzes" alone.

Hic!

[yinyang]

Sorry Dusty.I missed your kind invite cause I was already downstairs with a large glass of wine!Not entirely sure I un derstand all this - maths was never my strong point.Meet you all at the pub tonight. Bring pens,paper, slide rules and calculators and we'll get this sorted out once and for all!

[Dustybun]

Let battle commence!!!