4-2^2+5x3-2=11

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Driving me mad...trying to help my son add brackets to this equation to make it correct.

Please help!

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Thanks! No rearranging it I'm afraid, you are only allowed to add brackets...

For what it's worth, I've spent about an hour trying to figure this out, but to no avail.

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essayer said:

Yeah (4-2)^2 + 5 x (3-2)
2^2 + 5 x 1
= 11

Isn't this 9, not 11?

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Thanks all!

Glad I’m not the only one stumped! Once my son gets the answer back from his teacher I’ll post it here

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Leithen said:

Any news from school?

We need closure!

My son has maths again tomorrow, so should get the answer then. Once I know what it is, I'll post it here (even if the answer is "Sorry, there was a typo...").

Thanks again for all of the posts/suggestions!

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soupdragon1 said:

I think this thread is like one of those gifs that you're waiting and waiting for something to happen, and you've sat there for ages until you finally realise you've been had.

I promise it's all real; the question photo was taken directly from my son's homework, to exclude the possibility of me inadvertently introducing a typo. For completeness, the full question associated with the equation is simply: "Add the necessary brackets to make this equation true."

The bad news is that although he had maths today, the answer wasn't forthcoming because (unsurprisingly) nobody had yet submitted a correct answer. The good news is that he's provided a hint; that brackets are involved on both sides of the equation (so presumably something like (1)(1), as has been suggested earlier). No mention/admission of a typo.

I'll report back next week, once the answer is finally revealed. I'm as keen as any of you to know what the flippin' answer is...I've spent hours on this by now!

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Here’s the original question; note there’s a bag of sweets resting on this...

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For background, my son is 13 so this is (supposed to be) a ‘year 9’ level problem.

I strongly suspect a typo, but we’ll see...

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Blimey guys, don’t go overboard! I only posted here because I was SO frustrated not being able to do it and so wanted to check I wasn’t missing something!

For what it’s worth, my son has submitted an answer (11, but stating he’s assuming a typo i.e. -5 not + 5) to show he’d tried (he had, for ages!)!

As soon as I have the official ‘answer’, I’ll post it here.

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Maybe it’s a lesson in Man Maths i.e. the correct answer is:

11 (So yes, you can afford that sports car).

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That is genius!!!!!

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Brilliant stuff folks, thank you all! Next steps...

Firstly, whilst I don't think this is the answer the teacher had in mind, it's undoubtedly correct in every literal sense. So, my son will email his teacher today to submit this revised answer (admitting that he's had a bit of help). I'll let you now what the teacher says!

Secondly, this has been a great opportunity to teach my son about bases (not something he's covered, other than binary at a rudimentary level as part of Computer Science). He's now got his head around base 8 (and bases in general), so from that point of view alone, this process has been educational.

Thirdly, please don't be too hard on his teacher! If there's a typo then it will have been an honest mistake and if there's a trick it will be revealed in a good natured way. My son likes his maths teacher and he's inspired him to work hard...including on problems like this one!

Lastly, gothatway thank you in particular for providing me with a solution which, whatever the 'official' answer is, is definitely mathematically correct and allows me to mentally consider this problem solved If you PM me your address I'll send you a bag of buttons myself, or if you'd prefer, nominate a charity and I'll send them £10 on your behalf as a small token of my appreciation.

I'm grateful for everyone's efforts and as promised, I'll let you know what the teacher's official answer is as soon as I know it.

chemistry

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£10 (plus gift aid) donated

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My son had maths today; apparently his teacher said the base 8 solution is the best submitted so far. His comment was “Those buttons are coming home Dad” :

However, my son says it will be Wednesday before he’s told the official answer.

I’ll continue to keep you posted...

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So....he won the buttons!!!!

Also, here’s the official (trick) answer from the teacher:



Thanks again for everyone’s help!