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Posted

Hi guys! [emoji112]

 

Now, I'm not the sharpest tool in the toolbox, so i could use some handy pedagogic person who can put this down for me, in huge Layman's terms.

 

I've learned that parenthesis should always be dealt with first, then power offs, then division/multiplication, and last addition and subtraction.

 

Built on this, i first wanted to divide 94 by 3 and take the square root on that. The answer tells me that this is wrong though, I should begin with taking the sqr from the *3 number, and THEN divide it's answer by 3.

 

This goes against these rules that I'm struggling to burn into my head. What's the logic here? How to think?

 

Cheers! [emoji177]491a65b1c37dfc201415693f3a934866.jpg

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Posted

Hi guys! [emoji112]

 

Now, I'm not the sharpest tool in the toolbox, so i could use some handy pedagogic person who can put this down for me, in huge Layman's terms.

 

I've learned that parenthesis should always be dealt with first, then power offs, then division/multiplication, and last addition and subtraction.

 

Built on this, i first wanted to divide 94 by 3 and take the square root on that. The answer tells me that this is wrong though, I should begin with taking the sqr from the *3 number, and THEN divide it's answer by 3.

 

This goes against these rules that I'm struggling to burn into my head. What's the logic here? How to think?

 

Cheers! [emoji177]491a65b1c37dfc201415693f3a934866.jpg

The square on top of the parenthesis means it applies to everything inside , so if you want to take the 3 out of it you need to apply the square to the 3 to make it 9. So you need to devide by 9 on both sides, which leaves you with:

 

x^2=94/9

 

You always work from the outside in. Everything that is applied to the parenthesis is applicable to it as a whole.

 

So alternatively, in this case, you can also write it as 3^2 * x^2=94

Posted

The square on top of the parenthesis means it applies to everything inside , so if you want to take the 3 out of it you need to apply the square to the 3 to make it 9. So you need to devide by 9 on both sides, which leaves you with:

 

x^2=94/9

 

You always work from the outside in. Everything that is applied to the parenthesis is applicable to it as a whole.

 

So alternatively, in this case, you can also write it as 3^2 * x^2=94

I got to

 

5x to the power of 4 equals 60 and then remembered I'm stupid

 

 

Don't think my method was wrong tho :/

Posted (edited)

Microsoft Math. Download it right now. Helped me out of tight spots before solving multiple equations with multiple unknowns. 

 

edit: but don't think of it as a crutch. Use it to learn where you made your mistakes. You won't pass math by memorizing everything, stuff is easier if you know how to solve from 1st principles!

Edited by mecheng89
Posted

Hi guys! [emoji112]

 

Now, I'm not the sharpest tool in the toolbox, so i could use some handy pedagogic person who can put this down for me, in huge Layman's terms.

 

I've learned that parenthesis should always be dealt with first, then power offs, then division/multiplication, and last addition and subtraction.

 

Built on this, i first wanted to divide 94 by 3 and take the square root on that. The answer tells me that this is wrong though, I should begin with taking the sqr from the *3 number, and THEN divide it's answer by 3.

 

This goes against these rules that I'm struggling to burn into my head. What's the logic here? How to think?

 

Cheers! [emoji177]491a65b1c37dfc201415693f3a934866.jpg

Simplify and practice. We want to get the x variable by itself, so square-rooting both sides of the equation will get rid of the ^2. Then divide by 3 et voila! x equals 3.231786...

Posted (edited)

Simplify and practice. We want to get the x variable by itself, so square-rooting both sides of the equation will get rid of the ^2. Then divide by 3 et voila! x equals 3.231786...

 

In other words the square root is only applied on the 94, because you divided by 3 only after the square root was applied.

post-160286-0-87014600-1608045166_thumb.png

Edited by Theog
Posted (edited)

I use Photomath. IOS and Android available.  Scan the formula(hand written as well) and it gives you the solution, step by step.  You can thank me later.  Helped me many times while having to help the kids with home schooling during lockdown

 

Yea, that works, but it is lazy ...   :whistling:

 

If you cant do it yourself with a pen and paper, you cant do it  :D .  Only calculate the final answer with a calculator if you have too.

Edited by Theog
Posted

Yea, that works, but it is lazy ...   :whistling:

 

If you cant do it yourself with a pen and paper, you cant do it  :D .  Only calculate the final answer with a calculator if you have too.

 

Kids at school have to show the steps.

 

Funny thing is I pay more attention to the school work now than  what I did when I was at school.  Good thing I took it easy when I was at school, otherwise I had to do school twice.

Posted

Kids at school have to show the steps.

 

Funny thing is I pay more attention to the school work now than  what I did when I was at school.  Good thing I took it easy when I was at school, otherwise I had to do school twice.

 

I totally agree, show all the steps, always. The danger though of using these nice tools of today, it make the children lazy and they don't properly understand the principles, hence without the fancy tools, they simply cant do it.

Posted

I totally agree, show all the steps, always. The danger though of using these nice tools of today, it make the children lazy and they don't properly understand the principles, hence without the fancy tools, they simply cant do it.

 

No the kids are not using it here (not that I know off).  I check it to work it out and then explain to them the maths to get to it.

Posted

Problem with school these days, is that they solve the (primary school) equations differently to how I was taught. It means I need to “unteach” my ways and learn their ways before I can help them. The answer is the same but as many have said, it’s the steps that count.

 

BYW, thanks for the apps, as it means my wife can also assist with maths too by having the steps in front of her (yeah, I know it’s supposed to be without the s).

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