48÷2(9+3) = ???? Need simple algebra help!?

Distributive property of multiplication. Early Algebra.

The distributive property of multiplication CLEARLY states that the 2(9+3) is an entire term and CANNOT be broken up. 2(9+3) follows the distributive property which can be rewritten as (2*9+2*3). Let me repeat the 2 outside of the parenthesis follows the distributive property of multiplication and must be factored and simplified before performing any other operations on it.

So this can be rewritten as:

48 / (2*9 + 2*3)

Which leaves us with

48 / 24 = 2

Answer = 2.

Lastly for those using Google or any other online calculator. These do not understand many theorems or properties so you must explicitly explain what you mean. There is a difference between 48 / 2 *(9+3) and 48 / 2(9+3). The first notation reads 48 / 2 * 1(9+3) while the second reads 48 / (2*9+2*3). Be very careful with your signs.

Hate to bring up an old thread and I see that many of you think it's 2 but none of you that answer "2" are following math rules. Learn the order of operations in PEMDAS to see your mistake. If you came up with 2, you are doing what you were taught in school, but your text books didn't give you examples of doing distributive properties with a preceding division to learn from. The whole purpose of distributive properties is to simply complicated expressions that use variables. Your textbooks DO NOT say to ignore PEMDAS.

To see the mistake in answering "2", you must first realize that you are multiplying when doing distributive properties. In this formula, you are taking 2 * 9 and 2 * 3. The problem is that the orders of operation in PEMDAS says Multiplication and Division have the same weight and MUST be calculated LEFT to RIGHT. It is true that Parentheses come first but that that applies only to what's INSIDE the Parentheses. Since the division of 48 by 2 comes before the multiplication of 2 times 9 and 2 times 3 then you MUST do the division first (left to right).

P

Parentheses first

E

Exponents (ie Powers and Square Roots, etc.)

MD

Multiplication and Division (left-to-right)

AS

Addition and Subtraction (left-to-right)

The lesson to be learned from distributive properties is how to simplify math problems with unknowns. The lessons typically do not cover PEMDAS because you are already supposed to know that before this lesson.

If for some reason you cannot simplify what's inside parentheses without using distributive properties, you still need to obey the other PEMDAS rules. Think of 48÷2 in its fractional form "48/2" (48 over 2). So, (48/2 * 9) + (48/2 * 3) = 288. You have now used distributive properties and obeyed all other order of operations in PEMDAS.

48 ÷ 2 (9+3) = 48 ÷ 2( 12 )

48 ÷ 2( 12 ) = 48 ÷ 24

48 ÷ 24 = 2

The 2 in front of the parentheses is part of the parentheses operation and therefore is done before division. Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally holds.

LoL this isn't a difficult problem. The answer is 2.

2(9+3) = 18 + 6 = 24

48 ÷ 24 = 2

48 / 2( 9 + 3 ) =/= (48 / 2)(9 + 3)

The answer is not 288, no matter how many people say it is. The 2 must be accounted for as an operation of the parentheses and not simply an operation of multiplication.

48÷2*(9+3) is a multiplication and a division. These are at the same level in the order of operations so you should work from left to right: 48÷2*(9+3)=24*(9+3)=216+72=288

Anybody who thinks that it is 2 seriously needs to repeat elementary school. The amount of retards on this is truly mind boggling to me.

If the equation were 48÷(2(9+3)), then it would be 2 since then the (9+3) would be in the denominator. But that is not the equation. The equation is 48÷2(9+3) and as it is written, the answer is 288.

I have 2 questions:

1) Who started this question

2) How was this ambiguity only discovered today after thousands of years of math

The answer is 288. Since 2(9+3) is not is not in parentheses only the 2 is the denominator of 48. Therefore the question is written like this:

(48/2)((9+3)/1)

Its 288 because 48÷2(9+3)= 48÷2(12)= 24(12)=288

also 48/2(9+3) not 48/(2(9+3))

You add the values in the parentheses first...

48/2(12)

48/24 = 2

48 ÷ 2 (9+3)=288

solve the denominator 2(9+3)=2(12)=24

so now you have 48/24=2

always solve () first then multiplication, division, addition, subtraction