Took me forever to find the flaw that makes this work, but I did it :D. When you take the square root of both sides, this equation doesn't take into account that 4-9/2 is opposite in sign to 5-9/2. So...

Kishkumen

January 20th, 2006

4:44:24 PM CST

(0)

for the equals sign to be true, 5-9/2 must be multiplied by -1, giving 9/2-5. Then you can add 9/2 to this side, giving 9-5= 4, so 4=4.

TheGreatPJDJ

January 20th, 2006

5:15:01 PM CST

(0)

You forgot your order of operations, n00b. You need parenthesis.

MrMario

January 20th, 2006

6:07:31 PM CST

(0)

I double-checked this before I submitted it. My order of operations is correct.

heeroyuy135

January 20th, 2006

6:47:08 PM CST

(0)

No, that's right.

zzzzone-of-danger

January 20th, 2006

7:32:33 PM CST

(0)

Go back to algebra 1. ):

Kishkumen

January 22nd, 2006

10:21:01 PM CST

(0)

I think he was talking to me about the order of operations. Just use your mind to put parenthesis around each 9/2 expression. K thx.

MrMario

January 27th, 2006

1:44:08 PM CST

(0)

Ya know, it's still correct. 5-9/2=5-(9/2). Remember PEMDAS?

Speedy

March 15th, 2006

11:01:24 PM CST

(0)

When you take a square root like that, it spits out two solutions (+ and - the term inside), and so the results do in fact match up. A 3 for making me think about it.

Jpsousa4

March 17th, 2006

8:35:52 AM CST

(0)

what's up with the add 81/4 to each side?

Jpsousa4

March 17th, 2006

8:38:22 AM CST

(0)

oh, right....never mind

Maugh

April 4th, 2006

1:29:25 PM CDT

(0)

Here is why you are wrong: You take the square root but forget to put plus or minus. You need that because a number has 2 squares. For example, 5 squared and (-5) squared are both 25; conversly, the square root of 25 is 5 and (-5). Therefore, when you

Maugh

April 4th, 2006

1:30:27 PM CDT

(0)

damn, it didnt fit my whole explaination

MrMario

April 9th, 2006

3:51:13 PM CDT

(0)

So you're saying that the error is linked to the fact that every number has two roots, a positive and a negative one? That's right.

LeopardD

April 24th, 2006

6:42:12 PM CDT

(0)

I still think it is funny how things like that work out.

Dancing-is-Forbidden

May 5th, 2006

7:57:02 PM CDT

(0)

*head explodes*

StrangeWill

July 5th, 2006

5:20:47 PM CDT

(0)

Bad math = 0

arma

July 19th, 2006

7:10:46 PM CDT

(0)

http://mathstrikesback.ytmnd.com/ here u go

Zoomy

August 29th, 2006

4:34:12 PM CDT

(0)

I'm 5'ing this just for the debate in the comments.

Alexandrelol

September 21st, 2006

4:09:47 PM CDT

(0)

4=5 =D

jtn2002

January 23rd, 2007

12:21:20 AM CST

(0)

Correct up to factoring. Look at what you have. (4-4.5)� = (5-4.5)�. Simplify what's in parenthesis. (-0.5)� = (0.5)� The problem most certainly lies in the square rooting. Every real number has n nth degree roots. Take a course in complex variables to see something that really makes your head hurt!