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What is the expression in SIMPLEST radical form? (20)∧5/2

User Orodan
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1 Answer

5 votes

Answer:

The expression in the question can, and should, be written clearly as either 205(2)=8 or as 205(2)=2 . Relying on a left-to-right or right-to-left interpretation is not a good idea.

In cases of associative operators, like a⋅b⋅c , the parenthesis or other grouping can be omitted because any reasonable interpretation will yield the same result. But this isn’t true of division, which is not associative, nor is it true of mixed operators at the “same level” of precedence, like multiplication/division.

The other answers which say the result is 8 may not be wrong, but they are missing the main issue in that this expression should not be used because of the ambiguity

Explanation:

User VanagaS
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