• 💡𝚂𝗆𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗆𝖺𝗇 𝙰𝗉𝗉𝗌📱
    English
    21·
    8 months ago

    The real answer is that anyone who deals with math a lot would never write it this way

    Yes, they would - it’s the standard way to write a factorised term.

    but use fractions instead

    Fractions and division aren’t the same thing.

    • itslilith@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      31·
      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📱
        English
        21·
        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.