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[Reply #75 on:]

I've got a lot more calculators ...

[Reply #76 on:]

I've got a lot more calculators ...

That's a problem. Man with one watch always knows the time, man with two watches never quite sure. Same with calculators I guess. 

[Reply #77 on:]

My Casio fx-115 gave the answer 4.

What freaky ass maths is that thing doing?

[Reply #78 on:]

My Casio fx-115 gave the answer 4.

What freaky ass maths is that thing doing?

My brand-new fx260 as well.  I believe this is "open paren wipes out the partially complete number 2...", so you get 48 / (9+3)

[Reply #79 on:]

haha

[Reply #80 on:]

What freaky ass maths is that thing doing?

TBH I was hoping no-one would ask me that. I was going to reply "batteries are low".

I can make a video if you don't believe me ...

[Reply #81 on:]

TBH I was hoping no-one would ask me that. I was going to reply "batteries are low".

Haha no I believe you - perhaps westfw's answer is correct to this anyway.

[Reply #82 on:]

So can the OP modify the poll to allow 4 as an optional answer?

[Reply #83 on:]

So can the OP modify the poll to allow 4 as an optional answer?

We just need a 'none of the above'

[Reply #84 on:]

• HP SmartCalc 300s: 288
• OS/X calculator: beeps at the bracket, so invalid syntax
• TI-30XB: 288
  

[Reply #85 on:]

What was I thinking of? I forgot Google!

Google: "48/2(9+3)"

Answer: 288

Well I think that answers it for good!

[Reply #86 on:]

I did an advanced driving course once. They asked us some question, I forget what it was, something about who gives way under a certain circumstance. Half answered X the other half answered Y.

The instructor said "the important thing is not who is right, but that half of you disagree - that is the recipe for a collision".

This is a similar case, the important thing is not so much what the "right" answer is, but the fact that there is disagreement, and one presumes between reasonably educated mathematical-type people. So if we were programming, say, a space shuttle, between us we might make it crash.

[Reply #87 on:]

between us we might make it crash.

Might?

I think that's an understatement - "Look at this code I wrote to make the space shuttle do a backflip!"...

[Reply #88 on:]

Just when I started to get sick of this thread, something half interesting shows up!

A Casio fx-100AU calculator.

48÷2(9+3) = 2

Why didn't I think of that? Casio CFX-9970G agreees. I don't!
However, explicitly keying in the multiplication before the parenthesis yields 288:

48/2*(9+3) = 288

What was I thinking of? I forgot Google!

Google: "48/2(9+3)"

Answer: 288

Well I think that answers it for good!

Wolfram Alpha agrees

[Reply #89 on:]

Well, wolfram alpha has misinterpreted the input calculation.

If I put 48┘2(9+3) into my calculator I also get 288 but 48÷2(9+3) yields 2