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Simple maths question?

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 2:29 pm
by layla22
Can someone please help me with what appears to be a simple question
1. Work out 56-69+311

Doing 56-69 first as opposed to 69+311 first gives 2 different results.

My thinking is that in the absence of brackets and multiply. I should work from left to right, hence the answer would be 298.

Am I on the right track?

Many thanks

Re: Simple maths question?

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 2:57 pm
by First-timer
Yes, work from left to right. There are no brackets and the operations ( add and subtract) are of the same status. Same applies to 6 ./. 3x2. The answer is 4 rather than 1.

Re: Simple maths question?

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 3:51 pm
by 999 mum
layla22 wrote:1. Work out 56-69+311
I would think of it as (+56) and (-69) and (+311), then the order would not matter.

(The order does not matter as the two used are plus and minus and they are of the same priority)

Re: Simple maths question?

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 3:55 pm
by hermanmunster
agreed with 999mum - attach a +or - firmly to the front of the number and then it doesn't matter what order you do them in. eg
-69+56+311 would work too

Re: Simple maths question?

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 7:38 pm
by mystery
Layla22 how did you get 2 different answers? The answer is 298. The quickest way is to see there is a difference of 13 between the first two numbers and then take this off the third number.

Re: Simple maths question?

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 8:06 pm
by layla22
Thank you everyone for your prompt replies.
How did I get 2 answers?? Well, ..... I made a fundamental error!!?!! _ I failed to read the minus sign infront of the 69!
I put it down to the stress of this past year and that we have a St Olave's test coming up.
That's my excuse anyway.
Thanks everyone

Re: Simple maths question?

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 9:25 pm
by mystery
:D That's exactly the sort of thing I would do in an exam!! It's also a bit like in all these threads talking about tutoring, I read torturing.