Guest Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 What is half of two plus two? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 since the values are written, half of two plus two would be "two pl" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 Half of two plus two is 3. Half of 2 = 1, plus 2 = 3. Remember PEMDAS. It is not (2+2)/2. 99% of people you ask will anwser 2. Try it out, ask a friend: "Hey, whats half of two plus two?" and you will most surely get 2 as an answer.What is half of two plus two? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 3 ('half of' is multiplication which is perfromed before 'plus,' addition!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 My first instinct was to say 2 1/2. I just heard "half of 2" and thought "1/2". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 (edited) Half of two plus two is 3. Half of 2 = 1, plus 2 = 3. Remember PEMDAS. It is not (2+2)/2. 99% of people you ask will anwser 2. Try it out, ask a friend: "Hey, whats half of two plus two?" and you will most surely get 2 as an answer. Since the question is posed in English and not as a mathematical equation, you can't simply apply the normal operator precedence. If you wanted to ask the 2/2 + 2 in English, you would say "what is 2 divided by 2 plus two" IMO, 'Half of' is an awkward construct and placed as it is could reasonably be interpreted as 1/2 * ( 2 + 2 ). Which is 2. Edited December 15, 2008 by xucam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 What is half of two plus two? im pretty sure its 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 I guess Xucam that is what the riddle is all about, you can look at from both answers. This too could have two answers, 1/2 or 3, depending on which way you want to perform the actions. As you say seeing as it is written in English either way can be regarded as correct as english is often ambiguous at best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 (edited) Logically and mathematically there should be only one answer and that is 3.As half of two is 1 and plus two is 2. Quote from xucam Since the question is posed in English and not as a mathematical equation, you can't simply apply the normal operator precedence. If you wanted to ask the 2/2 + 2 in English, you would say "what is 2 divided by 2 plus two" IMO, 'Half of' is an awkward construct and placed as it is could reasonably be interpreted as 1/2 * ( 2 + 2 ). Which is 2. If you start looking at mathematical problems from their english point of view ,Math wont exist.You can not mix them Edited December 15, 2008 by itsme Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 I believe the term is ambiguous. I'd have to agree with the people who think the answer is 3. As it is written as a sentence, we cannot apply the standard mathematical rules for formulas. Therefore, the only thing we can do is start at the left and work right, as we read that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 It's definately 3. The "of" comes before "addition" which would make it 1+2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 What is half of two plus two? twtwo to ttwo. depending on whether or not you want to round up or down. No, the answer is, in fact 3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 It doesn't matter how you read it. Mathamatically it it says (0.5/2) + 2, in English (reading left to right) if says the same thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 (edited) wouldn't it also be "two pl" or "us two" depending on which half you want? Edited December 15, 2008 by mag721 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 wouldn't it also be "two pl" or "us two" depending on which half you want? oooo clever Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 My initial thought was the same as Ahab's: two pl. But now I also agree with mag that us two works as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 Half of two plus two is 3. Half of 2 = 1, plus 2 = 3. Remember PEMDAS. It is not (2+2)/2. 99% of people you ask will anwser 2. I disagree. The rules of mathematics are trumped by those of grammar. "Half of" modifies whatever clause comes after it, which, the way the OP is written, is "two plus two". If we wanted the answer to be 3, we would have to write "half of two, plus two." Punctuation is everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Jiminy Cricket Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 What is half of two plus two? My first response was "3" Half of two is one. Plus two = three. Whether it's written in English or if it should be taken mathematically, that's the whole point of the puzzle. Figure out the correct answer, not "an interpretation for an alternative answer" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 My first response was "3" Half of two is one. Plus two = three. Whether it's written in English or if it should be taken mathematically, that's the whole point of the puzzle. Figure out the correct answer, not "an interpretation for an alternative answer" That English can be imprecise, and that there is a real ambiguity in the 'puzzle'. For a somewhat facetious example, consider this sentence: I want half of everything you own. I guess that means (everything/2) + [what] you own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 wouldn't it also be "two pl" or "us two" depending on which half you want? Haha thats histerical! I don't think I had ever gotten that as an answer. Thanks for the laugh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 (edited) Haha thats histerical! I don't think I had ever gotten that as an answer. Thanks for the laugh Hey no problem! I do what I can! Thanks! Edited December 15, 2008 by mag721 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 OMG It is three. half of 2 is 1+ 2= 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is nothing at all that says this is any different than regular math so STOP ARGUING!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 OMG It is three. half of 2 is 1+ 2= 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is nothing at all that says this is any different than regular math so STOP ARGUING!!!!!! I'm sticking with two pl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Prof. Templeton Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 I'm sticking with two pl What if you were to split it horizontally? And do we have to consider total line length. Is the "us" longer then the "pl"? Just some things to consider. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 OMG It is three. half of 2 is 1+ 2= 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is nothing at all that says this is any different than regular math so STOP ARGUING!!!!!! No need to get irate and please use a spoiler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 OMG It is three. half of 2 is 1+ 2= 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is nothing at all that says this is any different than regular math so STOP ARGUING!!!!!! Oh my, seven semicolon-mads in a row, you must be right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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What is half of two plus two?
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