this post was submitted on 18 Dec 2025
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[–] SmartmanApps@programming.dev 1 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

different places teach different conventions

But they all teach the same rules

some places say that PEDMAS is a very strict order

Which is totally fine and works

Other places say that it is PE D|M A|S,

Which is also totally fine and works

even in this post, say it’s PEMDAS

Also totally fine and works

it’s simply a matter of if the people talking agree on the convention to use

No-one has to agree on any convention - they can use whatever they want and as long as they obey the rules it will work

can’t agree on

Educated people agree that which convention you use doesn't matter.

[–] PeriodicallyPedantic@lemmy.ca 0 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

That's not true Here is an example:
8÷2x4
PEMDAS: 8÷2x4 = 8÷8 = 1
PEDMAS: 8÷2x4 = 4x4 = 16
PE M|D A|S: 8÷2x4 = 4x4 = 16
And thats not even getting into juxtaposition operations, where fields like physics use conventions that differ from most other field.

but you're missing the point. It could be SAMDEP and math would still work, you'd just rearrange the equation. Just like with prefix or postfix notation. The rules don't change, just the notation conventions change. But you need to agree on the notation conventions to reach the same answer.

[–] SmartmanApps@programming.dev 1 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

That’s not true

Yes it is

PEDMAS: 8÷2x4 = 4x4 = 16

Yep.

PEMDAS: 8÷2x4 = 8÷8 = 1

Nope. PEMDAS: 8x4÷2 = 32÷2 = 16. What you actually did is 8÷(2x4), in which you changed the sign in front of the 4 - 8÷(2x4)= 8÷2÷4 - hence your wrong answer

PE M|D A|S: 8÷2x4 = 4x4 = 16

Yep, same answer regardless of the order 🙄

And thats not even getting into juxtaposition operations,

Which I have no doubt you don't understand how to do those either, given you don't know how to even do Multiplication first in this example.

where fields like physics use conventions that differ from most other field

Nope! The obey all the rules of Maths. They would get wrong answers if they didn't

you’re missing the point

No, you are...

It could be SAMDEP and math would still work

No it can't because no it wouldn't 😂

you’d just rearrange the equation.

Says someone who didn't rearrange "PEMDAS: 8÷2x4 = 8÷8 = 1" and got the wrong answer 😂

The rules don’t change

Hence why "PEMDAS: 8÷2x4 = 8÷8 = 1" was wrong. You violated the rule of Left Associativity

[–] PeriodicallyPedantic@lemmy.ca 1 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago)

Ok, then explain prefix and postfix, where these conventions don't apply. How can these be rules of math when they didn't universally apply?

Says someone who didn't rearrange "PEMDAS

The order of operations tells us how to interpret an equation without rearranging it. When you pick a different convention, you need to rearrange it to get the same answer. What you did was rearrange the equation, which you can only do if you are already following a specific convention.

No it can't because no it wouldn't 😂

All conventions can produce the correct answer, when appropriately arranged for that convention, because the conventions are not laws of mathematics, they are conventions.

Nope! The obey all the rules of Maths. They would get wrong answers if they didn't

They obey the laws of math. Conventions aren't laws of math, they're conventions. And a quick Google search will tell you that not everyone puts juxtaposition at a higher precedent than multiplication; it's a convention. As long as people are using the same convention, they'll agree on an answer and that answer is correct.

You can be mean all you like, that doesn't change the nature of conventions