Question

18/3/3 - How to evaluate that?
You can say 18/3 is 6 and dividing that by 3 = 2.
OR
You could say 3/3 = 1 and dividing 18 by that = 18.
How should that be evaluated?

Answer 1

priority goes to the first operation :D

Answer 2

`left to right` precedence

Answer 3

http://www.mathsisfun.com/operation-order-pemdas.html

Answer 4

a/b/c = (a/b)/c

according to `left to right` precedence rule

Answer 5

yep but its priority
\ \ have equal priority thus the first one have the right to be executed first xD

Answer 6

when you have equal priority, execute it from `left to right`

Answer 7

So, if it is written like this then it is top to bottom priority?

Answer 8

http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=18%2F3%2F3%2F1

Answer 9

looks like \[\large \dfrac{\dfrac{18}{3}}{3} = \dfrac{\left(\dfrac{18}{3}\right)}{3}\]

Answer 10

Okay then how about simplifying an algebraic expression like this?
a*x / y / y
Does it get written as (a*x / y) / y ?

Answer 11

multiplication and division have same precedence in PEMDAS

Answer 12

so we just execute everything from left to right

Answer 13

a*x / y / y = ((a*x)/y)/y

Answer 14

first operation would be multiplication

Answer 15

because it is on the left most

Answer 16

Isn't there a way to simplify that better?
I always hated working with "3 level" fractions (or whatever the heck they might be called.

Answer 17

simplify using fraction properties ?

Answer 18

\[\large \dfrac{\dfrac{a*x}{y}}{y} = \dfrac{\left(\dfrac{ax}{y}\right)}{y}\]

dividing \(y\) top and bottom gives

\[\large \dfrac{ax}{y^2} \]

Answer 19

This was typed before your last response:
************************************************************************
Yes. I mean if an algebraic formula had to be written ((a*x) / y) / y
Isn't there a way to make it look a little better?
**************************************************************
Okay so
((a*x) / y) / y
can be written much neater as:
(a*x) / y^2

That's a LOT better.

Answer 20

yes that definitely looks better

Answer 21

Sure does. I hate those "3 level" fractions.
Is there a specific algebra term for those?

Answer 22

i think they call them `complex fractions` in shcool textbooks

Answer 23

https://www.google.co.in/search?q=complex+fractions&safe=off&espv=2&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=UURrVIXnH4y2uATr7IGoCg&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg&biw=1242&bih=606

Answer 24

I remember way back when - I'd always get those messed up.
(Seems they still present problems for me).

Answer 25

lol yeah i had to rely on wolfram to figure out the precedence

Answer 26

Okay - well thanks again.

Answer 27

np :) it is better to use parenthesis always to avoid the possible ambiguity

Answer 28

Definitely.
Well, time to close the question. :-)

Answer 29

\[\large \dfrac{\dfrac{18}{3}}{3} = \dfrac{\left(\dfrac{18}{3}\right)}{3}\]

i prefer the right side expression eventhough both equivalent

Answer 30

:)