Can people do simple math anymore?

Microsoft / Eng
yngPadawan

Go to company page Microsoft Eng

 yngPadawan
Jun 15, 2021 15 Comments

I’ve seen that on FB and it blows my mind that so many people can’t do such basic math. And I’m curious to see how many people get it right in the tech industry 😐
I see that as an extremely simple question but it looks like PEDMAS/PODMAS really fucked up the way people think about math 🤯

9 + 9 - 3 * 3 + 4 + 4 = ??

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 TOP 15 Comments
  • Google
    puff puff

    Go to company page Google

    puff puff
    Please leave that crap on Facebook 👎
    Jun 15, 2021 1
  • SAP
    ifnpw

    Go to company page SAP

    ifnpw
    Trick question. The limit does not converge
    Jun 15, 2021 0
  • Why not use brackets and parentheses to make the question clearer?
    Jun 15, 2021 5
  • SpaceX
    qadwed

    Go to company page SpaceX

    PRE
    Google
     qadwed
    This kind of stuff I never forget. But if you gave me 3rd grade multiplication table flash cards, there are a couple/few that I might have forgot and need to calculate the nearest multiple and add in my head. I just don't do mental math anymore and don't care. I have a computer in my pocket at all times
    Jun 15, 2021 2
    • Microsoft / Eng
      yngPadawan

      Go to company page Microsoft Eng

       yngPadawan
      OP
      A phone gives you the good answer if you give the good input. And for that you need a basic understanding or what you want to calculate and how the phone interpret what you give. 9+3*3 - 1 is the same as 9–1+ 3*3 but the phone would give 35 and 36 entered like that when the actual answer is 17 :/

      It’s just scary that 10% of the people who answered this poll (all working in tech, i assume) got it wrong
      Jun 15, 2021
    • SpaceX
      qadwed

      Go to company page SpaceX

      PRE
      Google
       qadwed
      It's most important to know basic concepts and tools.

      The default phone calculator emulates the horrible immediate execution method. Back in the day when I used to use a real calculator I used an HP with RPN. On my phone I have the Wolfram Alpha calculator which doesn't have your issue. At work I'd pop it onto a python REPL.

      I agree it's scary people can't use their tools. I remember when I was a student nearly everyone had a powerful calculator but I finished some math exams about an hour before the rest of the class because apparently others in the room didn't understand the full capabilities of their calculators.
      Jun 15, 2021
  • Because simple is not easy!
    Jun 15, 2021 0