document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=247184>Question 247184</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> I have a question about order of operations...<BR>\n" );
document.write( "The problem is<BR>\n" );
document.write( "a = 3<BR>\n" );
document.write( "18 ÷ 2a\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "My question is....can the variable be separated from the number, thereby treating it like 18 ÷ 2 * 3, resulting in the answer 27, <BR>\n" );
document.write( "or does the variable stay attached to the number 18 ÷ 2(3), resulting in the answer 3<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Thanks,<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Schel </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #180376 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Theo><B>Theo(13342)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Theo><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=Theo><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=180376\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> a = 3<BR>\n" );
document.write( "18 ÷ 2a\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Technically speaking you would be correct if you interpreted it as (18/2) * a because the order of arithmetic says multiplication and division are done together from left to right if parentheses don't change the natural order.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "The natural order without parentheses is:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "exponents and roots first.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "then multiplication and division.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "then addition and subtraction.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "within each level, you process left to right.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "this means if you have a multiplication followed by a division, you do the multiplication first, and if you have a division followed by a multiplication, you do the division first.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Select the following link to see one of the tutorials on the web concerning this.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<a  rel=nofollow HREF= \"http://www.math.com/school/subject2/lessons/S2U1L2GL.html\" target = \"_blank\">http://www.math.com/school/subject2/lessons/S2U1L2GL.html</a>\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "I tend to think, the way it was written with the other division sign, and the way the 2 and the a were stuck together, that they meant 18 / (2*a), but that would not be technically correct if you follow the rules exactly.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "It's a matter of interpretation.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "You would not be wrong if you assumed (18/2) * a based on a strict interpretation of the rules.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "If the book shows you the answer, you can determine from that.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "If not, you can answer with an (if it is this way, then the answer is ...) and (if it is that way, then the answer is ...)\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "My gut says 18 / (2*a) but the strict interpretation of the rules says (18/2) * a.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "I can see why you're confused.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
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