Calculators and spreadsheets don't always get it right.

Try a^b^c in excel and it does (a^b)^c instead of the normal recognised way of a^(b^c).

a^b^c in Excel example
4^3^2 = 4096.
However.
(4^3)^2 = 4096
4^(3^2) = 262144

a^b^c is an example where parenthesis are nescessary not only in Excel but in general math as well.

Exponents go before Mult and Div.

Again. Parenthesis gives instructions to the parser how to handle precedences.

a^b^c in Excel example
4^3^2 = 4096.
However.
(4^3)^2 = 4096
4^(3^2) = 262144

a^b^c is an example where parenthesis are nescessary not only in Excel but in general math as well.

Exponents go before Mult and Div.

Again. Parenthesis gives instructions to the parser how to handle precedences.

Parenthesis is not needed in general maths, you start at the top, therefore b^c is done first.

True. But you have to be used to do these arithmetic exercises.
a^b^c is quite rare in math.
The only thing I can think about is Googolplex, 10^(10^100)

a^b^c in Excel example
4^3^2 = 4096.
However.
(4^3)^2 = 4096
4^(3^2) = 262144

a^b^c is an example where parenthesis are nescessary not only in Excel but in general math as well.

Exponents go before Mult and Div.

Again. Parenthesis gives instructions to the parser how to handle precedences.

Parenthesis is not needed in general maths, you start at the top, therefore b^c is done first.

Really?

F = R([(1 + i)^n - 1] / i), where i = r / m and n = m * t.

These may not be using letters your familiar with, but does this look like a formula you've seen that gets frequent use?

---

Capitalize on this good fortune, one word can bring you round ... changes.

if the precedence of operators is in question, then wouldn't it be:
(10 + 10) * (0 + 10) = 200
?

No:)
You use parenthesis to change the precedence of operators as you just did.
200 is the correct answer in your case.
But the question given is without any parenthesis and gives 10 + 0 + 10 = 20.

NO. The precedence has not been specified. Computer Geeks know that there is more than one system of precedence and know that the system must be specified or the problem can't be parsed.

in a western math class 20 is the answer, but that incurs an assumption

When I use MAPLE, a computer algebra system that will do arithmetic, algebra, calculus and more, it knows the order of operations. So do TI-83/84 graphing calculators. Though it's been a while, I do not recall ever being told when I learned to program that the language being used "was unaware" of the usual order.

Bobby, Janne is correct.

For the record, I was not making the case that the precedence of operators was in question, only that if Gary was (as he seemed to be), then wouldn't the form I used be more logical. Perhaps Gary's version was more along the lines of:

((10 + 10) * 0) + 10 = 10

which ignores the precedence of operators and instead employs precedence by sequence.

If sequence can result in confusion then rewriting the expression as:

10 * 0 + 10 + 10

avoids it.

---

I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that ...

Was education a waste for many people?
A fifth of adults have forgotten how to do fractions or percentages

Was education a waste for many people?
A fifth of adults have forgotten how to do fractions or percentages

I would say there are now too many teachers who have forgotten how to do fractions or percentages.
Or at very least know how to explain it.
If not teachers can do it, how do you suspect pupils can do it?

And how many of us can see the difference between average and median?

In politics and decisions to vote these things matters.

No calculators, nor computers, when I went to school.

I used my fingers as tools to calculate things.
Still do.
However nowadays this is not the appropiate way do to it.
One of my nephews was told to stop that "habit" in highschool because according to the teacher there are now other "methods".
Silly thing.
Why we use a decimal based math is because we have ten fingers.
Digit even means finger in latin!

Hehehe.
That's not even math. It's counting.
Normally the cashier starts with the amount you should pay and adding up with money until it reaches to what you gave.

Quick story...

Short time ago. Picked up a Pizza. The bill came to, let's say, $15.25.

The cash register wasn't working, and the young lady (25?) had to manually, using her fingers, determine my change.

I handed her a $20 Bill, and she became confused, and just stopped 'calculating'.

After one second calculation in my head, I told her $4.75 Change, . She thanked me and just gave me the $4.75.

Waking out. I realized (unhappily) I could have said anything!

Was the sex and age of the cashier relevant to the anecdote (remembering "the plural of anecdote is not data")? If so, how? Otherwise isn't this an example of sexist and ageist bigotry?

---

I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that ...

Quick story...
Short time ago. Picked up a Pizza. The bill came to, let's say, $15.25.
The cash register wasn't working, and the young lady (25?) had to manually, using her fingers, determine my change.
I handed her a $20 Bill, and she became confused, and just stopped 'calculating'.
After one second calculation in my head, I told her $4.75 Change, . She thanked me and just gave me the $4.75.
Waking out. I realized (unhappily) I could have said anything!

Was the sex and age of the cashier relevant to the anecdote (remembering "the plural of anecdote is not data")? If so, how? Otherwise isn't this an example of sexist and ageist bigotry?

For heavens sake.
Most of the cashiers are female and young.
But there are also male cashiers, often old ones, that behave in the same stupid way.
Met several.

Was the sex and age of the cashier relevant to the anecdote (remembering "the plural of anecdote is not data")? If so, how? Otherwise isn't this an example of sexist and ageist bigotry?

Give him he double hockey sticks with a high sticking penalty.

---

Was the sex and age of the cashier relevant to the anecdote (remembering "the plural of anecdote is not data")? If so, how? Otherwise isn't this an example of sexist and ageist bigotry?

Give him he double hockey sticks with a high sticking penalty.

Him?
Swedish Hockey Team.

Him?

Clyde

Swedish Hockey Team.

That's not the Clarkson Cup.

---

Please can we stop the name calling.

And no, I do not think rating anyone's posts is a good idea.

---

And no, I do not think rating anyone's posts is a good idea.

DA does, it is built into the BOINC forum software. Wiser persons disabled it for this forum, but you can find it on some other projects.

---

1st there was the 11+, now it's the 4+.

Baseline tests dropped

As such, there will be optional baseline tests if schools want to take them next year, but the results will not be used for "accountability purposes".

Yeah, right!

The UK government announced a few days ago that they wanted all schools to become academies. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-35814215

This makes the schools independent financially and not controlled by the local government.

But today it has become known that Halewood Academy in Knowsley, Merseyside, {Liverpool, to all intents and purposes), the only school in Knowsley that teaches 'A' levels, is to close the 'A' level classes.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-36046503

Well you did vote the Tories in so you can't now whinge when your Uni students have 50,000 pound degrees and are saddled with loans they can't pay back or your kids are being taught religion the poor can't afford to go to school because there all private schools .

Oh well only 4 more years till you will be able to fix the problems it will cause .

As a resent American congress report say's the student loans are causing a lot of problems in America

You will end up with the American system good luck with that one .

---