November 2012
Problem of the Month

Answering Machine Problem

What button should be pressed to leave a message on the answering machine in this FoxTrot comic:

COMIC STRIP NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Explain whether or not the correct ORDER of OPERATIONS was used.

Solution to the Problem:

The answer is 1.

No, the correct order of operations was not used.  
Parentheses are needed around the first two numbers; otherwise, you get a negative number:

Correctly solved by:

1. Chad Fore	Gate City, Virginia
2. James Alarie	Flint, Michigan
3. Adam Niemi	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
4. Rylan Kellum	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
5. Mike Bova	Wallingford Connecticut
5. Aubrey Newton	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming

Send any comments or questions to: David Pleacher