One of those days
One of those days
Comments
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Without seeing the question...
It's perfectly normal to require the answer to be given in fractions instead of decimals if the question is given in fractions.
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That's absolutely stupid if you're talking about a number that can be represented exactly in both notations.
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Unless the course or assignment is specifically about fractions.
At least I was thought to use the same format for results as the assignment.
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Calculators can make decimal easy and fractions hard when doing it yourself fractions are much easier it's an anti-cheat of sorts
Edit: I'm getting a lot of flak for something explicitly stated in a text book, yeah some calculators can but they are less common especially in grade school and it could just be a carry over from time's when calculators couldn't, my point is that this isn't some random theory it's a real thing real text books have done.
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Only if that requirement is explicitly stated in the question.
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what is normal about that stupid requirement?
i played those stupid games and got my As but fuck do i not miss those online grade math sites
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Calculators can make decimal easy and fractions hard when doing it yourself fractions are much easier it's an anti-cheat of sorts
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Modern calculators can switch modes between decimal and fractions. It's pretty irrelevant.
Also, someone may do the problem themselves using any number of means that involve decimals. Or maybe they simply prefer to write in decimal. Either way, the program is simply wrong.
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I heavily doubt this is the reason. It would fail so many honest users while catching a few cheaters. And the cheaters could easily avoid getting caught by using the correct mode on a decent calculator.
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That's a stupid and miss interpretable notation
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Yep, 40 x 1/4 is ten.
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The correct answer would be 10 right?
40 × 0.25 = 10
There is no plus in there and empty space turns into a multiplication by default.
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No, that's a way to represent a fraction's integer part.
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Depends on culture and level of education. For someone who comes from a culture where we use decimals, I'd interpret this in the math/physics class way, i.e. 10.
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Might be. I've never seen it used that way, though, I know that some people prefer parentheses around the fraction to the right of integers.
That said, even Wolframalpha appears to disagree, which I find mildly funny if what you say is true.
EDIT: Just realized something even more damning. If you input it into Wolframalpha using math input, it just assumes addition (lol). Yeah, I might have to read up on this.
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Yes, but no. That notation is the dumbest one ever. Everywhere else a juxtaposition implies multiplication, except for fractions with integers to the left.
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Who uses whole number with a fraction anyway?! This is either 40x(1/4) or 401/4 MADNESS!
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While it could be read as 40*(1/4), it actually means 40+1/4. 401/4 would be true madness.
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Both are wrong, correct answer is 39 5/4 (obsviously)
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is it just me who actually learnt mixed fractions/decimals in class?
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We also would have accepted:
40.250
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I gave up on khan academy after having this happen enough times.
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Having PTSD from dealing with mastering physics years ago which also happens to be a Pearson thing too.
This is from a Pearson online graded thing, if you don't happen to recognize it. It probably would have taken 161/4 (edited) as a correct answer as well (IMO 40 1/4 is ambiguous, improper).
The software is more than capable of determining that 40.25=40+1/4 so its not really excusable (unless its specifically trying to teach fractions for middle schoolers or something)
That said, A lot of my calc 3 homework (multi variable calculus) in college was run by Pearson, and while it wasn't perfect, the fact that it was autograded with multiple attempts allowed made learning the material easy. Immediate feedback is incredible.
Fuck Pearson though, honestly. This shit is expensive and it's still got noticeable flaws. Last Pearson course I took kept trying to get me to use their shitty AI and pay extra for shit. I'm a student, not a potential customer to shake down.
Did they force you to pay Pearson just to submit required coursework?
I remember that shit and it radicalized me against the textbook mafia
41/4 is 10.25
Correct, but not what is shown in the OP.
Speaking from a decade ago but Khan Academy's system(at the time called mastery, not sure what it is now) was leaps and bounds better for learning calculus.
Also I'm pretty sure this meme is from back then too.
I love Khan academy so much. I don't know how good it is nowadays, but it's one of the things that shaped my perspective on the internet as I was growing up alongside the changing web; Yes, there is all sorts of awfulness online, and so many complex harms, but there are also so many awesome learning resources and enthusiastic people who want to share their knowledge. Khan academy did a lot for democratising knowledge, and is a concrete answer in the discussion of "what might 'learning outside of the academy' look like?"
The key difference between Pearson's shitty maths thing and Khan academy's equivalent is that Khan academy was started by a dude who was genuinely interested in bringing learning materials to people, and exploring online teaching as a new medium. Pearson is a soulless entity that exists to wring money out of everything it can.
I agree in principal, but: 40 1/2 = 40/1 + 1/4 = 160/4 + 1/4 = 161/4
You right, I'm tired
I worked support for Pearson about 15 or so years ago and uh... yeah, fuck Pearson.