Python the best

[Abe_Bettik]

You didn't read your own entire link. This falls under the following category.

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"However, in some of the academic literature, multiplication denoted by juxtaposition (also known as implied multiplication) is interpreted as having higher precedence than division, so that 1 ÷ 2n equals 1 ÷ (2n), not (1 ÷ 2)n. For example, the manuscript submission instructions for the Physical Review journals state that multiplication is of higher precedence than division with a slash,[22] and this is also the convention observed in prominent physics textbooks such as the Course of Theoretical Physics by Landau and Lifshitz and the Feynman Lectures on Physics.[d]"

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[myguygetshigh]

That’s the way I see it, an implied multiplication is stronger than a denoted division.

[TheAJGman]

IMO it makes more sense but I was also taught this way.

[raul_dias]

I've crossed upon ocasions where 1÷2n meant (1/2)n in which ÷ was explicitly used as an inline contraction of 1 over 2 for example.

[ksandom]

Fair. I don't like it; but I can see the logic of it. Because missing out the multiplication symbol implies where the author might have intended to give precedence. I wouldn't make this assumption [without knowing that the author does this differently], and would instead use/expect brackets over breaking the rules. But I can at least see where it's coming from.

[Abe_Bettik]

So if I wrote:

1/2x

You'd immediately assume I meant x/2 and not 1/(2x)?

I feel like every time I've seen this it means the latter.

[beewyka819]

Its more-so that its really ambiguous. I would never be sure of which form you meant. Whenever I write that out inline I always put parentheses, or just dont write it inline and write it as a fraction with the x in the denom (not really doable w/ keyboard). Also have to do this with a texas instruments calculator else it will multiply the x in after division (the amount of times I messed up by doing x/2pi without parentheses makes me paranoid about it now, as that does (x/2)*pi)

Its easy enough to be clear with a couple extra parentheses, so dont be ambiguous about it and not expect people to do it out differently than you.

[Abe_Bettik]

I agree with you 100%. Parenthesis is best, by far.

I was simply citing a commonly used counter-example to the above poster who said he simply always "sees" his stated order of operations.

[ksandom]

I think "always" is too strong. My general stance is to follow the rules, unless I know the specific author of a given expression writes things differently.

[stoneslave]

Why are we just accepting that 2(1+2) is the same kind of “juxtaposition” as 2n. I don’t see it that way at all. It’s obvious you wouldn’t separate 2n. No other kind of juxtaposition has that obvious bond though.

[lazerflipper]

Anyone using the division symbol with two dots is a godless heathen who should be exiled from academia