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Re: your mail
Posted:
Sep 19, 1997 8:50 AM
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I had the same question John had when I read Steve's initial post. But,
even then why would "/" indiate the grouping of (4)(8) but not (4)(8) +
4? Is that because we have parentheses around 4 and 8? Of course, if
"/" meant the fraction bar, we wouldn't have this confusion if we write
the fraction without using "/". There won't be any question of grouping
if it was written
64
_______
(4)(8).
By the way, if you enter 64/(4)(8) + 4 to TI-83 as it appears, you get
132, and calculators are always correct, right? :-)
Tad Watanabe
Towson University
Towson, Maryland
On Fri, 19 Sep 1997, John Carnahan wrote:
> Steve,
> In reply to your question about simplifying 64/(4)(8) + 4, it depends on
> whether you mean 64 divided by 4 then times 8 plus 4 or whether you mean
> the fraction 64 divided by (4 times 8) plus 4. The fraction bar is a
> grouping symbol and in the second case the simplification would be 6. I the
> first case the simlification would be 132.
> Thanks,
>
> John Carnahan
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