Job Discussion Forums

[Guy Courchesne]

10 + 2 X 10 = ?

[some waygug-in]

It's a trick, right?

[Belmont]

I thought "live" was the verb. Also, give us a clue about the math problem, whose sum is 120, but there is more?

[Belmont]

I thought "live" was the verb. Also, give us a clue about the math problem, whose sum is 120, but there is more?

[Guy Courchesne]

Just a topic to get people talking.

You say 120? OK.

[vochinch]

If I remember correctly, in a problem such as this, lacking parenthesis, you do the higher-order calculation first, which would yield 30 as an answer.

[Stephen Jones]

Yes. let's have a fascination discussion on the importance of parentheses - I think not!

Incidentally different computer programs may well process the operations in a different order. Excel will give the answer 30 but Calculator will give the answer 120

[denise]

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

Agreed; the answer to the first question is: 30

The answer to the second question is: fruit

And now, this stunning historical portrait of the tomato:

Among the greatest contributions to world civilization made by the early inhabitants of the Americas are plant foods such as the potato and squash. The tomato, whose name comes ultimately from the Nahuatl language spoken by the Aztecs and other groups in Mexico and Central America, was another important contribution. When the Spanish conquered this area, they brought the tomato back to Spain and, borrowing the Nahuatl word tomatl for it, named it tomate, a form shared in French, Portuguese, and early Modern English. Tomate, first recorded in 1604, gave way to tomato, a form created in English either because it was assumed to be Spanish or under the influence of the word potato. As is well known, people at first resisted eating this New World food because its membership in the nightshade family made it seem potentially poisonous, but it is now is an important element of many world cuisines.

tomato

n 1: mildly acid red or yellow pulpy fruit eaten as a vegetable 2: native to South America; widely cultivated in many varieties.

Source: The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, Copyright � 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company

[denise]

Kent--

I agree with you about the tomato. My colleague had a different understanding of it, though.

d

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

I just wanna know if there's a prize for 2 correct answers?

Guy? Tell me what I've won !!!

[Guy Courchesne]

You win KFK!! A big bucket of tomatli is on the way to your house...

I was curious to know what answers would come up. My wife and I were watching a game show when a similar question came up. I said 30, thinking of all that order of operations stuff from elementary school. She was adamant that the answer was 120.

BEDMAS I think went the tip to remember.

Yes, I spent Saturday night watching games shows and arguing math....that is a call for help.

[Stephen Jones]

Now, if I saw it written, I would give the answer 30.

But if it was an oral question, in the form "ten plus two times ten", I would give the answer 120 because if you wished the alternative you would say "ten plus quantity two times ten"

Anybody who has had the misfortune to have taught KFUPM Listening will get that right automatically.

Now perhaps we can change the topic to something wild and passionate , such as the weather or patio doors?

[Guy Courchesne]

I remember a case in the US (or was it Canada?) where a woman had won a prize from McDonald's and completed the SKILL TESTING QUESTION on the little game card. It was similar to the 10 + 2 X 10 example. She answered using order of operations, but McDonald's had rejected it. She fought McDonald's in court and won, so now, when you see that silly equation on the back of game cards, the brackets are always there.

[nomadamericana]

I say it is 30 but my first instinct was to say 120. Is there a right answer???

~NA