What is 5 + 3 * 0?

[Waldo 96]

Just had this question on 'smarter than a 10 year old':

 

What is 5 + 3 * 0?

 

I would have thought the answer is 5. The multiplication taking precedence over the addition, so; 5 + 3 * 0, is 5 + (3 * 0), which is, 5 + (0), so 5.

 

They gave the answer as 0 though, and the 10 year old had it right. Am I missing something? or maybe I'm not smarter than a 10 year old?..

[RosyRat 10]

Were there brackets i the original? If not, then 5 is the answer, as you'd apply BODMAS.

[SultryMaiden 10]

Just had this question on 'smarter than a 10 year old':

 

What is 5 + 3 * 0?

 

I would have thought the answer is 5. The multiplication taking precedence over the addition, so; 5 + 3 * 0, is 5 + (3 * 0), which is, 5 + (0), so 5.

 

They gave the answer as 0 though, and the 10 year old had it right. Am I missing something? or maybe I'm not smarter than a 10 year old?..

 

It is 0,

Anything times 0 give the answer 0.

[denlin 12]

Just had this question on 'smarter than a 10 year old':

 

What is 5 + 3 * 0?

 

I would have thought the answer is 5. The multiplication taking precedence over the addition, so; 5 + 3 * 0, is 5 + (3 * 0), which is, 5 + (0), so 5.

 

They gave the answer as 0 though, and the 10 year old had it right. Am I missing something? or maybe I'm not smarter than a 10 year old?..

 

Unless there were brackets the answer to anything multiplied by 0 is always 0 - the brackets do make a difference because you are supposed to calculate the sum inside the bracket first then add on 5 but if there is no bracket you do the sum as a whole therefore 0 is answer

Edited March 13, 2012 by denlin

[splodgeyAl 10]

Unless there were brackets the answer to anything multiplied by 0 is always 0 - the brackets do make a difference because you are supposed to calculate the sum inside the bracket first then add on 5 but if there is no bracket you do the sum as a whole therefore 0 is answer

Erm, no. The order in which the parts are calculated goes:

 

Brackets

Of

Divide

Multiply

Add

Subtract

 

So, as there are no brackets, you'd do the multiply, 3 x 0, which is zero, then you'd add the 5 on, making, erm, 5.

 

[Waldo 96]

There were no brackets in the original.

 

However, isn't there an order you are supposed to do the math operations in?

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_operations

 

In mathematics and computer programming, the order of operations (sometimes called operator precedence) is a rule used to clarify unambiguously which procedures should be performed first in a given mathematical expression.

 

For example, in mathematics and most computer languages multiplication is done before addition; in the expression 2 + 3 × 4, the answer is 14. Brackets, which have their own rules, may be used to avoid confusion, thus the preceding expression may also be rendered 2 + (3 × 4), but the brackets are not required as multiplication still has precedence without them.

[fruitisbad 10]

maybe they changed maths recently and you didn't get the memo.

[denlin 12]

There were no brackets in the original.

 

However, isn't there an order you are supposed to do the math operations in?

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_operations

 

No - no brackets you do it as a complete sum or why do you need brackets at all? You seem to be saying that the way I was taught has been altered to give a different answer and yet the ten year old who put 0 was right - who is smarter?

Edited March 13, 2012 by denlin

[nickycheese 10]

Trust Google ;-)

 

5 + 3 * 0 = 5

[splodgeyAl 10]

There were no brackets in the original.

 

However, isn't there an order you are supposed to do the math operations in?

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_operations

Yes, the order that RosyRat hinted at, I said, and so, probably, does the wiki page you linked to

[Waldo 96]

No - no brackets you do it as a complete sum

 

So what would "2 + 3 × 4" come out to, with no brackets, just as a complete sum?

 

20 or 14?

[Waldo 96]

Or is zero a special case and exempt from the order of operations?