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To: RBranha; aruanan

I would say this is one of the reasons they would not let us use calculators in mathamatics when I was in school. There is a difference between mathamatitions and keyboard artists (Google, Microsoft, HP, GNU, etc.). LOL


462 posted on 04/12/2011 9:50:40 PM PDT by Dust in the Wind (U S Troops Rock)
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To: Dust in the Wind

There is a definite difference. Computers require a more rigid set of rules for solving expressions than humans do, even for mathematics. However, it isn’t a question of which discipline is more rigid or precise. It’s a matter of defining the semantics of the mathematical grammar. In the 48/2(9+3) expression, if the implicit multiplication is given higher precedence than the parentheses, the answer is obviously much different than if implicit and explicit multiplication have the same precedence. Many, if not most, computer scientists and engineers have given equal weight to implicit and explicit multiplication (PEMDAS) and this has probably influenced mathematicians and textbook writers. The notable exception is TI, and even they have now changed their algorithm.


465 posted on 04/12/2011 10:32:58 PM PDT by RBranha (Captialism is the natural outgrowth of human freedom.)
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