Eli5, people are saying that pemdas is absolute and that 1000 / 5(4-2) = m could be either 100 or 400 because the variable m isn’t defined. Could you all elaborate on what that means?
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It depends on whether its 1000 × 1/5 × 1/(4-2) or its 1000 × 1/5 × (4-2). The reason why its not obvious is because these notations aren’t 100% correct. With the / written in one line its not obvious where you are just dividing by 5 or 5(4-2). The fact that you dont necessarily need the × sign isn’t the issue. However when you dont use it, it could mean that its one expression. So its would be 1000/10. But that would need a bracket like this 1000/(5(4-2)). The thing is you want to write fractions properly. ()/() like this. Or avoid them by turning them into multiplication like x/y = x × 1/y. Its not a mathematical problem its the problem that some people dont know how to write equations.
This 1000/5(4-2) means this: 1000 × 1/5 × (4-2).
If its written like this 1000/(5×(4-2)) means this: 1000 × 1/5 × 1/(4-2).
Why someone would say its ambiguous is because this isnt the correct notation.
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