ubertuber

I had dinner at Burger King tonight. I should mention that I live in NY, which seems to guarantee bad service at any retail chain... As I was waiting 20 minutes for my food, I read the rules on their new "Spidey Sense" lottery-type game. Basically, you get a game piece and scratch off one area to reveal your prize or that you haven't won. For accomplishing this you can win such goodies as 3 Saturn cars or a life size lego spiderman. Anyway, it all seemed normal until I got to this sentence (and I did write it down so I could get it right):

"In order to receive their prizes, Canadian residents must correctly answer a mathematical skill testing question using the Canada Skill Testing Question Sheet found in restaurants..."

So my question is this. WTF? Is this to ensure that people are smart enough to be qualified for prizes? Is there some sort of Canadian Law that mandates "earning" a prize, and what for?? Has anyone heard of anything like this before? I'll say this - I'm glad that Americans are exempt from answering mathematical skill questions. The results would be humiliating and people would sue over the emotional trauma caused by being STUPID.

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Jeff

I've read that before, I think it's some wacky canadian law.

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Munku

Except for the lottery, games of luck are illegal in canada. So to canadian players, they put silly questions like 3+2x3(4)=X and you gotta answer it. It turns the game of luck into a game of skill. Learn something new every day huh... And no I'm not a canuck!

Esco

hah ... funny way to get around it. Good for the canucks.

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Church

Yeah, whenever we have contests like that, most of the time the merchant just tells you the answer, because they know its a stupid law, lol. But if its something small like a meal or drink or something, then they usually don't even care.

They aren't as strict as you may think.

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Markaz

fast food is evil..

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todd

Holy shit hahaha that is hilarious. I never knew Canada had a law like that. Very interesting

Glava

Good thing it's in Canada. I bet at least a third of Americans couldn't answer it correctly due to the order of operations.

Church

Oh common now. If they can't answer 3+2x3(4)=X, then they should seriously start to doubt their education system.

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Through counter-intelligence, it should be possible to pinpoint potential trouble makers, and neutralize them.

Glava

My point exactly

sadistikdreams

17?

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Redlemon

You waited 20 minutes to get Burger King food? What were they doing, waiting for a new delivery of meat pucks?

Averett

Those silly Canadians. What will they think of next?

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platypus

I expect to see this lampooned on South Park.

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TM875

I think it's 27.

3+2x3(4) = x

Following the order of operations, we should first do our multiplication.

a) 2x3 = 6
b) 6x4 = 24
c) 24 + 3 = 27

If you want to do it the other way:
a) 3x4 = 12
b) 2x12 = 24
c) 24+3 = 27

Silly canadians...

EDIT: I forgot to mention that this is pretty upper level math for most Americans. I would be willing to be most people wouldn't get this correct.

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OFKU0

3+2x3(4)=

I thought it was 3+2=5
5x(3(4)) = 60

Final answer Alex,.....60

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fallenangel

American ? *wink*

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maleficent

This junior high math at the most...

Doesnt anyone remember My Dear Aunt Sally to remember the order of operations

(Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction)

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Latch

Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally

Parenthesis Exponents Multiplication Division Addition Subtraction

Latch

haha.. it took me so long to remember what the "P" stood for, maleficent posted MDAS before I could hehe.

phredgreen

Wow... I just realized that getting back into college math is gonna be a thrill. I never was a left-brained person.

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maleficent

I drew a blank on the E - -so I just went with the easy stuff...

(and I was a math major -- gawd - I'm a dumbass)

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ARTelevision

I like the idea. If we did it here with the lottery, it would be the first time we emphasized the value of education. I can see people studying up, forming lottery study groups, etc.

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create evolution

sadistikdreams

/sadistiks head explodes

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"Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone.
The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials."
-Lin Yutang

hearts, by d.a.

basmoq

I don't eat fast food any more, bad for my arteries, I don't wanna have a heart attack at 40 like my dad

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MSD

Third grade is upper level?

Trisk

Upper level math for most Americans? I believe most states don't allow you to drop out of school until 16 (17 in New York). Unless you got held back in elementary school for 6 years, you should know this....and there really is no excuse for being held back that much either. The only real excuse for not knowing this is severe learning or mental dissabilities.

fhqwhgads

Ubertuber- Don't leave us all hanging... how was the meal??

Glava

I think this is more middle-school math than third grade, unless you said that for hyperbolic effect.

Polyphobic

I agree with that statement. Working back from having Trig as a 9th grader, I'd guess somewhere around 6th-8th grade. However, I'm just guessing. Calculus in college wiped out my memory in regards to math. That and my failed Dif Eq class.

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Bentley Little

I read it as 3 to the fourth power which would make it

1) 3 to the fourth = 81
2) 81 x 2 = 162
3) 162 + 3 = 165

Anyone else read it that way? Cuz normally just one number in paranthesis would be a power multiplier but numberS in paranthesis would be order of opps.

Such as 3 + 2 x 3 (4 x say...5)

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That is my 2 cents.

Glava

Powers are usually represented as x^y. For example, 3 squared would be 3^2. I don't think anybody else will read it as you did.

Bentley Little

Ah, sorry, (no sarcasm), I haven't done internet math before and am not good with the representation as keyboard figures, rather than writing them out...like 4 to the fifth power is 4(5) <---(5) is small. Anyways, enough of that.

If so, the answer is 27.

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That is my 2 cents.

Quadraton

Ah, this brings back memories. I remember having friends who would enter these contests, and keep a calculator right beside the phone in case they got the call.

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flamingdog

I couldn't do this without reacquainting myself with my maths. i hate numbers.

ubertuber

Somehow.... It just wasn't quite worth the wait. I think those battered fries they have are terrible. And yes, I did have to wait that long redlemon. I don't know what it is about NYC, but it seems like lines always take forever to get through.

As far as the equation goes, I'd certainly believe that many Americans would have a hard time with it. Hell, I had to think for a second to get PEMDAS back in my head. I'm with Art - I could see the reason for having this type of question. Maybe there should be really simple American (or Canadian as the case may be) history questions too.

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Supple Cow

You're assuming that most American children perform at their grade level.

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Cowman

The answer is 27..and im dissapointed that it took so much debate to arrive at it ..anyway, Canadians generally do that math in grade 7 or 8(order of operations, I mean).

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phedre

True true about kids performing at grade level. Actually order of operations is a pre-algebra thing. Algebra is now being taught at (earliest) 7th grade (nyc, not sure if same for anywhere else) so they're going through stuff like that and drilling it in around 5th or 6th grade. i know, cuz my boyfriends younger bro is in 5th grade and called us the other day asking us about questions about this...

Munku

It's 27. Order of operations is Parenthesis, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction. So you'd do 3*4, then *2, then +3.