One for the nerds and mathematicians out there.
Simple equation. 20+4x4
Deliberately no brackets. Type that with an = in front in Excel and you get what it, to me, the correct answer, 36. Mrs GB insists it is 96 because that's what you get when you type it into a calculator - obviously this is because the calculator is doing one sum after the other and you HAVE to use the brackets to define operational order on a calculator.
The issue being she says she was never taught this at school and has an A in her O Level Maths and I'm pretty sure I wasn't either.
So, the question is, when did BODMAS come in and is it a hard and fast rule? Or a modern concept that relates to spreadsheets and calculators? Or am I either a) too old to remember or b) taught with outdated methods? Son was apparently learning it in year 7 so maybe those GCSEs aren't so noddy.
BTW this also extends to English. I was certainly never taught what a "fronted adverbial" was and yet it's one of the things I have to help my daughter with during the lockdown.
Simple equation. 20+4x4
Deliberately no brackets. Type that with an = in front in Excel and you get what it, to me, the correct answer, 36. Mrs GB insists it is 96 because that's what you get when you type it into a calculator - obviously this is because the calculator is doing one sum after the other and you HAVE to use the brackets to define operational order on a calculator.
The issue being she says she was never taught this at school and has an A in her O Level Maths and I'm pretty sure I wasn't either.
So, the question is, when did BODMAS come in and is it a hard and fast rule? Or a modern concept that relates to spreadsheets and calculators? Or am I either a) too old to remember or b) taught with outdated methods? Son was apparently learning it in year 7 so maybe those GCSEs aren't so noddy.
BTW this also extends to English. I was certainly never taught what a "fronted adverbial" was and yet it's one of the things I have to help my daughter with during the lockdown.
Last edited: