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Post by katlady on Dec 12, 2022 17:13:45 GMT
The problem is worded as such:
Divide 50 by half and add 20 and multiply by 2.
Would you interpret this to be 50 divided by 1/2, or 50 divided by 2?
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Post by workingclassdog on Dec 12, 2022 17:18:21 GMT
I voted I don't do math because I HATE math.
I would divide 50 by half.
then add 20.
then multiply by 2
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Post by ~summer~ on Dec 12, 2022 17:33:22 GMT
I’d say the problem is worded poorly.
It should be you divide by .5 but I bet they mean divide by 2.
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Post by malibou on Dec 12, 2022 17:38:34 GMT
90
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Post by gar on Dec 12, 2022 17:40:02 GMT
I read it as halve 50 …
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Post by agengr2004 on Dec 12, 2022 17:48:44 GMT
This is why you always state your assumptions
half = divide by 2
half = 1/2
half = half of the number given
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pantsonfire
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Post by pantsonfire on Dec 12, 2022 17:51:11 GMT
When you divide by a fraction you invert. So it's actually 50 x 2/1 which is 100.
Then add 20 which is 120.
Then times by 2 which is 240.
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pantsonfire
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Post by pantsonfire on Dec 12, 2022 17:53:23 GMT
Also 2 isn't half.
Half is .5 or 1/2.
Both those give you 100.
If it was divide by 2, it would have to say that. Take 50 and divide by 2.
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pantsonfire
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Post by pantsonfire on Dec 12, 2022 17:54:15 GMT
Of someone needs a visual (that is how I did beat in math)...
Take 50 pieces of what ever and cut I half. You now have 100 pieces.
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Post by CardBoxer on Dec 12, 2022 19:09:39 GMT
I wanted it to say “divide 50 in half,” which would be 25. But it doesn’t say that so it that an error or should it actually be 50 divided by 1/2?
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Post by belgravia on Dec 12, 2022 19:13:51 GMT
I wanted it to say “divide 50 in half,” which would be 25. But it doesn’t say that so it that an error or should it actually be 50 decided by 1/2? Yup. Divide IN half and divide BY half are two very different things! It’s worded very poorly. I would just state my assumption before solving. |
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Post by CardBoxer on Dec 12, 2022 19:30:40 GMT
I wanted it to say “divide 50 in half,” which would be 25. But it doesn’t say that so it that an error or should it actually be 50 decided by 1/2? Yup. Divide IN half and divide BY half are two very different things! It’s worded very poorly. I would just state my assumption before solving. Bingo. And excuse my typo/autospell. that should be “or should it actually be 50 divided by 1/2?” |
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Post by littlemama on Dec 12, 2022 19:37:59 GMT
The problem is worded as such: Divide 50 by half and add 20 and multiply by 2. Would you interpret this to be 50 divided by 1/2, or 50 divided by 2? If you take it literally, V 50÷.5= 100 100+20=120 120*2=240 The question is ambiguous in several ways. First "divide by half" can be misinterpreted. Second, the question is written as a list of steps, BUT, did the author intend for it to be a PEMDAS exercise rather than a list of steps? |
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Post by disneypal on Dec 12, 2022 20:00:15 GMT
To me...it is just as it says...50 divided by 1/2 or 100
If you wanted the answer to be 25, then (to me), you would say "What is 1/2 of 50?" or What is 50 divided by 2"
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Post by monklady123 on Dec 12, 2022 20:02:30 GMT
Even though I suspect they meant "divided by 2" or "divided IN half" I'd be the contrary one and would divide BY 1/2 as the question said. Which would mean I'd get 100, then 100+20 = 120, then 120x2 = 240.
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milocat
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Post by milocat on Dec 12, 2022 20:57:31 GMT
Yup. Divide IN half and divide BY half are two very different things! It’s worded very poorly. I would just state my assumption before solving. Bingo. And excuse my typo/autospell. that should be “or should it actually be 50 divided by 1/2?” 1/2 cup parsley, chopped is different than 1/2 cup chopped parsley. Assuming the directions are written correctly, the recipe or this math question. |
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Post by Crack-a-lackin on Dec 12, 2022 21:42:57 GMT
Is this an actual school math problem? Or one of those random TikTok?
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Post by workingclassdog on Dec 12, 2022 21:46:46 GMT
THIS IS WHY I HATE MATH.. hate with a passion.. it will state on my tombstone "She hated math".
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Post by mollycoddle on Dec 12, 2022 22:01:50 GMT
I also hate math. I would assume you divide it in two, which would mean 25. But then again, I stink at math and generally avoid it at all cost.
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pantsonfire
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Post by pantsonfire on Dec 12, 2022 22:02:59 GMT
Is this an actual school math problem? Or one of those random TikTok? I think if it was an actual math problem there would be watermelons and a train involved 🤣😁🤪 |
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Post by grammadee on Dec 12, 2022 22:19:48 GMT
50 divided IN half is 25.
50 divided BY half is 100. So the answer should be (100 + 20) x 2= 240.
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samantha25
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Post by samantha25 on Dec 12, 2022 22:20:03 GMT
Also, is this all operations from left to right, written or a word problem? Don't forget order of operations, especially if no parenthesis- If it's 50/0.5 + 20 x 2 = ?
Then wouldn't it be 50 /0.5 = 100
Then perform 20 X 2 = 40, then add 100 + 40 = 140
or if 50/2 + 20 x 2 = 25 + 40 = 65
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Post by Really Red on Dec 12, 2022 23:47:25 GMT
I hate when math teachers can't write. I really, really do. I voted divide 50 by 1/2, but really, who knows? If it's your kid's problem, have them do it both ways!
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Post by mollycoddle on Dec 12, 2022 23:50:53 GMT
I really bow down to those of you who get this stuff. I think that between hating math and having not-so-great teachers, I came out of HS without the slightest idea about equations. Couldn’t figure one out if my life depended on it.
What’s odd is that I can do simple math in my head pretty easily. But show me an equation and I fall back to Algebra 2-not having the slightest idea of what I was doing.
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Post by katlady on Dec 13, 2022 0:37:43 GMT
Yes, this is from FB. I don’t know if it originated on TikTok.
Glancing at it real fast, I would assume it meant 50/2=25. But after that I would probably start second guessing and over analyzing it. This is why I like math, but hate word problems. I read too much into it sometimes.
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maryannscraps
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Aug 28, 2017 12:51:28 GMT
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Post by maryannscraps on Dec 13, 2022 1:00:39 GMT
This isn’t confusing math, it’s a poorly worded question. When you ask a math question, it’s important that the people answering it can understand what you’re asking. I managed a team writing science assessment, and that sort of ambiguous question would have never flown.
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Post by peasapie on Dec 13, 2022 1:01:33 GMT
It is definitely poorly worded, especially when we teach kids to follow order of operations, PEMDAS.
Pantsonfire did a great job of explaining the difference between dividing by half and dividing in half.
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PaperAngel
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Jun 27, 2014 23:04:06 GMT
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Post by PaperAngel on Dec 13, 2022 1:11:04 GMT
The problem is worded as such: Divide 50 by half and add 20 and multiply by 2. Would you interpret this to be 50 divided by 1/2, or 50 divided by 2? My literal interpretation of the poorly worded math problem using order of operations: 50 ÷ 0.5 + 20 x 2 = 50 ÷ 0.5 + 20 x 2 = 100 + 20 x 2 = 100 + 20 x 2= 100 + 40 = 140 |
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seaexplore
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Apr 25, 2015 23:57:30 GMT
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Post by seaexplore on Dec 13, 2022 14:11:12 GMT
24 year math teacher here…. If it’s PEMDAS you get 140, if it’s literally do in the order written in words you get 240. For sure “50 divided by half” gets you 100. After that? This is legit how math problems are written because it wants kids to think about what “divide by half” really means. pantsonfire nailed it in her visual description. |
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Dalai Mama
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Post by Dalai Mama on Dec 13, 2022 15:04:38 GMT
Divided by a half is different from divided in half.
If it were written as an equation, order of operations would apply (multiply and divide then add) - 50/.5 + 20 x 2 = 100 + 40 = 140
As a word problem, though, I would do the question in word order - 50 divided by a half is 100, add 20 is 120, multiply by 2 is 240.
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