this post was submitted on 19 Jun 2025
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Math Memes
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Memes related to mathematics.
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1: Memes must be related to mathematics in some way.
2: No bigotry of any kind.
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Naively, not natively. Someone who wasn't a good math student, or just doesn't remember, might read it left to right and come to the wrong conclusion. The rules for order-of-operations are, so far as I know, arbitrary, and different people coming at it without instruction (ie: naively) could arrive at different conclusions. Knowing that you're supposed to do division first isn't obvious.
You could read
25 - 5 ÷ 5as "25 - 5 is 20. 20 divided by 5 is 4" or you could read it (correct, per the standard rules) as "25 minus.. hold on.. 5 divided by 5 is one. Now 25 subtract that from the 25 sitting over there, and get 24." This isn't the same kind of error as, like, "5 divided by 5 is 0"You could. You could also lower your pants and drop a massive turd and call that the answer. Both answers would be equally wrong.
PEMDAS isn't a suggestion that you follow when it suits you, like religion. It's how math is communicated, unambiguously.
In any case, if that's where we lost you, then I've calculated the chance of you catching the factorial as √-1.
You're being weirdly aggressive, but okay.
Most people know the symbols for addition subtraction multiplication and division. Far fewer people know the established order of operations. That's what powers those "only 3% of people solve this problem correctly!" math memes.
But okay. Communicate badly (ie: by failing to acknowledge your audience's context) and be smug if you want.
Oh you're gonna love my other reply then.
Don't expect me to pander to willful ignorance. If you're going to act like an idiot, expect to be treated like one.
Also, what's with the passive aggressiveness? I understand that my confrontational approach there can make some people uncomfortable, but it's my prerogative.