• itslilith@lemmy.blahaj.zone
    3·
    8 months ago

    Fractions and division aren’t the same thing.

    Are you for real? A fraction is a shorthand for division with stronger (and therefore less ambiguous) order of operations

    • 💡𝚂𝗆𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗆𝖺𝗇 𝙰𝗉𝗉𝗌📱@programming.devEnglish
      2·
      8 months ago

      Are you for real?

      Yes, I’m a Maths teacher.

      A fraction is a shorthand for division with stronger (and therefore less ambiguous) order of operations

      I added emphasis to where you nearly had it.

      ½ is a single term. 1÷2 is 2 terms. Terms are separated by operators (division in this case) and joined by grouping symbols (fraction bars, brackets).

      1÷½=2

      1÷1÷2=½ (must be done left to right)

      Thus 1÷2 and ½ aren’t the same thing (they are equal in simple cases, but not the same thing), but ½ and (1÷2) are the same thing.