If you thought 8 ÷ 2(2+2) = ? was stupid and pointless, so did a lot of mathematicians.https://nyti.ms/2YKDk9f
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For your answer to be 1, you would need the outer pair of parentheses to be there. But they’re not there, are they?
Ok, let's try this. How would you calculate 8 ÷ 2a, where a=4? In algebra, 2a is a factor that sticks together, so you'd have 8 -- = 1 2a This is why you never see ÷ in algebra.
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8/2a=16 8 -- = 1 2a In the second equation the 2a is understood to have parentheses around it by the notation it was written in. When writing on a single line, you need to be aware of the need for parentheses when you intend things to be done in a certain order.
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Yeah, but now you're just making up stuff ("understood") as you go along. The point is that it's not unreasonable to interpret 8 ÷ 2a as 8 -- 2a which, again, is why you don't use ÷ when learning algebra.
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And you have the option of putting the 2a in parentheses if you want it calculated before the division. If you specifically didn’t want it to be done first, how would you say it should be done differently to get that point across?
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