Either the expression reads (16/2)a = 8a or 16/(2a) = 8/a.
The equation editor features in MS Word (2003 or later) improves the ability to write equations that do not suffer from such lack of clarity. When confronted with word processors (like the ones usually encountered in e-mail composers, there is greater clarity with the use of parentheses.
sbk
-----Original Message-----
From: Mario Marotti <mmar62@hotmail.com>
To: math4u@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thu, 6 Dec 2007 1:54 pm
Subject: RE: RE : Re: [Math4u] Math persons
> I just had a thought.
> 16/2*a =8a by math convention.
> But what happens if we leave out the multiplication sign
> 16/2a
> Now maybe it's wrong, but there is a tendency in my mind to think of 2a as a
> term or entity and come up with 16/2a=8/a
> So maybe leaving out the multiplication sign was done on purpose to trick
> our subconscious. I'm not so sure what the correct answer is when a sign is
> omitted.
Hi, all!
I think the problem is to use the notacion 16/2
instead of
16
__
2
In this notation, there´s no problem at all:
16
__ a
2
is not the same to
16
__
2a
I think the notation 16/2 means "a number".
I'm not sure if I am wrong, but for avoiding these problems, in college we use the notation
16
__
2
instead of
16/2.
This is not a good notation for mathematics, and I believe people began to use it when the first typewriters came into use.
Regards
Mario
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