this post was submitted on 27 Nov 2025
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Science Memes

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[–] SmartmanApps@programming.dev -3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Please read this section of Wikipedia which talks about these topics better than I could

Please read Maths textbooks which explain it better than Joe Blow Your next Door neighbour on Wikipedia. there's plenty in here

It shows that there is ambiguity in the order of operations

and is wrong about that, as proven by Maths textbooks

especially niche cases there is not a universally accepted order of operations when dealing with mixed division and multiplication

That's because Multiplication and Division can be done in any order

It addresses everything you’ve mentioned

wrongly, as per Maths textbooks

Multiplication denoted by juxtaposition (also known as implied multiplication)

Nope. Terms/Products is what they are called. "implied multiplication" is a "rule" made up by people who have forgotten the actual rules.

s often given higher precedence than most other operations

Always is, because brackets first. ab=(axb) by definition

1 / 2n is interpreted to mean 1 / (2 · n)

As per the definition that ab=(axb), 1/2n=1/(2xn).

[2][10][14][15]

Did you look at the references, and note that there are no Maths textbooks listed?

the manuscript submission instructions for the Physical Review journals

Which isn't a Maths textbook

the convention observed in physics textbooks

Also not Maths textbooks

mathematics textbooks such as Concrete Mathematics by Graham, Knuth, and Patashnik

Actually that is a Computer Science textbook, written for programmers. Knuth is a very famous programmer

More complicated cases are more ambiguous

None of them are ambiguous.

the notation 1 / 2π(a + b) could plausibly mean either 1 / [2π · (a + b)]

It does as per the rules of Maths, but more precisely it actually means 1 / (2πa + 2πb)

or [1 / (2π)] · (a + b).[18]

No, it can't mean that unless it was written (1 / 2π)(a + b), which it wasn't

Sometimes interpretation depends on context

Nope, never

more explicit expressions (a / b) / c or a / (b / c) are unambiguous

a/b/c is already unambiguous - left to right. 🙄

Image of two calculators getting different answers

With the exception of Texas Instruments, all the other calculator manufacturers have gone back to doing it correctly, and Sharp have always done it correctly.

6÷2(1+2) is interpreted as 6÷(2×(1+2))

6÷(2x1+2x2) actually, as per The Distributive Law, a(b+c)=(ab+ac)

(6÷2)×(1+2) by a TI-83 Plus calculator (lower)

Yep, Texas Instruments is the only one still doing it wrong

This ambiguity

doesn't exist, as per Maths textbooks

“8 ÷ 2(2 + 2)”, for which there are two conflicting interpretations:

No there isn't - you MUST obey The Distributive Law, a(b+c)=(ab+ac)

Mathematics education researcher Hung-Hsi Wu points out that “one never gets a computation of this type in real life”

And he was wrong about that. 🙄

calls such contrived examples

Which notably can be found in Maths textbooks

[–] JackbyDev@programming.dev 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

If you believe the article is incorrect, submit your corrections to Wikipedia instead of telling me.

[–] SmartmanApps@programming.dev -1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

If you believe the article is incorrect, submit your corrections to Wikipedia

You know they've rejected corrections by actual Maths Professors right? Just look for Rick Norwood in the talk section. Everyone who knows Maths knows Wikipedia is wrong, and looks in the right place to begin with - Maths textbooks

[–] JackbyDev@programming.dev 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Again, if you have a problem with Wikipedia, take it up with Wikipedia.

[–] SmartmanApps@programming.dev -2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Again, if you have a problem with Wikipedia, take it up with Wikipedia

You've made the mistake of thinking they care. Again, look for Rick Norwood in the Talk sections, an actual Maths professor (bless him for continually trying to get them to correct the mistakes though)

[–] JackbyDev@programming.dev 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Take it up with them if you have a problem with them.

[–] SmartmanApps@programming.dev -2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Take it up with them if you have a problem with them

I see you're not even reading what I said. No wonder you don't know how to do Maths...

[–] JackbyDev@programming.dev 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I did read everything you said and I do know how to do math. I hope you are able to enact the change you want to see in Wikipedia and the article. Good luck.

[–] SmartmanApps@programming.dev -3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I did read everything you said

Clearly you didn't, given you keep telling me to take it up with Harvard/Wiki

enact the change you want to see in Wikipedia

See?? There you go again ignoring what I told you about Wikipedia 🙄

[–] JackbyDev@programming.dev 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I haven't ignored anything you said. I'm telling you that if you have a problem with those that you should contact them to fix them.

[–] SmartmanApps@programming.dev -3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I haven’t ignored anything you said.

You've ignored everything I've said about Wikipedia.

I’m telling you that if you have a problem with those that you should contact them to fix them

and you have again ignored what I told you about them 🙄

[–] JackbyDev@programming.dev 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

It's funny that you define "ignore" as "not doing what you tell someone to" because by that definition you've been ignoring me too. Go edit the article if you feel this strongly.

[–] SmartmanApps@programming.dev -1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

It’s funny that you define “ignore” as “not doing what you tell someone to”

Nope, I didn't.

because by that definition you’ve been ignoring me too

I'm ignoring the person failing to cite Maths textbooks, yes, that's correct.

Go edit the article if you feel this strongly

Go read what I said about what happens when ACTUAL MATHS PROFESSORS have tried to do EXACTLY THAT 🙄

[–] JackbyDev@programming.dev 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Go tell Wikipedia about that, not me. It's a community you can join. You very clearly feel very strongly about it. Talking to me about it isn't going to change anything.

[–] SmartmanApps@programming.dev -1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Go tell Wikipedia about that, not me

I'm telling you, the person pretending that it's mathematically valid information

It’s a community you can join

Yep, and be defeated, just like the Maths Professor Rick Norwood was, repeatedly.

You very clearly feel very strongly about it.

Maths textbooks, yes, which you keep ignoring

Talking to me about it isn’t going to change anything

And you talking about it isn't going to change that you are wrong

[–] JackbyDev@programming.dev 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] SmartmanApps@programming.dev -2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Open a textbook

I've been telling you to do that the whole time and you still refuse 😂

Tell them, not me

Tell them you refuse to open a Maths textbook? 😂

[–] JackbyDev@programming.dev 1 points 1 week ago

Yes. Go tell Wikipedia that I won't open a textbook.