is 3^4^2 equal to 3 to the power of 16, or 81 squared?
2006-07-11 11:26:51 · 13 answers · asked by shrek 5 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
I asked a very similar question a few days ago. I have seen several calculators that do it differently.
It turns out that the correct answer according to the majority of Mathematicians is 3^(4^2)... See quote from wiki in sources. but you may wonder why does this go from right to left, when everything else goes from left to right. Like 8 / 2 / 2 is equal to 2 not 8.
The simple answer is that Mathematicians decided that if you were actually doing a problem like this that you would probably mean 3^(4^2) instead of (3^4)^2, because if you were doing (3^4)^2, then you would probably just use 3^(4*2) since it's equivalent and a little simpler.
2006-07-11 12:55:38 · answer #1 · answered by Michael M 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
16
2006-07-11 11:30:09 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I say 81^2 because I entered the formula in "computerise" into an Excel spreadsheet as "=3^4^2" and got the answer 6561 which is 81^2. 3^16 would equal 43,046,721.
More than likely, the computer programmers for Excel used the "left to right" rule in their algorithm which, in and of itself, is not the final say. However, I say you should never argue with Bill Gates....
2006-07-11 11:54:27 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
3^16
2006-07-11 11:31:20 · answer #4 · answered by metronome 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is 81^2. Try it on a calculator to see. When two operations have equal priority, they are performed from left to right.
In general, it's a good idea to use parentheses in a situation like this so that there is no confusion about what you mean.
2006-07-11 11:29:57 · answer #5 · answered by mathsmart 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
81^2
2006-07-11 11:32:29 · answer #6 · answered by prune 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its 3 to the power of 16
u need parenthesis for 81 squared
2006-07-11 11:53:33 · answer #7 · answered by CaliBeachBabe 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
3^4^2=3^16
(3^4)^2=81^2
notice that the first is much larger ...not that that would count much ...in maths if it's different then it might as well be 1000miles different...:)
2006-07-11 11:31:19 · answer #8 · answered by lavi_or_lavinia 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My TI-83 goes from left to right, but Google calculator (just type 3^4^3 into google) goes from right to left.....so does Maple...
So I'd say right to left (3^16)
2006-07-11 11:35:46 · answer #9 · answered by j 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was under the impression the way to evaluate multiple exponents was from the top-down. I'd say it's 3^16, but if anyone can prove me wrong in the proper evaluation, I'd welcome seeing it, officially.
2006-07-11 11:35:31 · answer #10 · answered by Louise 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋