After testing many different combinations, the author finds that by adding parentheses around (3 + 4 * 5 + 6), and multiplying that sum by 2 and 7, the equation becomes true. The corrected equation is: 1 + 2 * (3 + 4 * 5 + 6) * 7 + 8 * 9 = 479. The author emphasizes the importance of understanding the order of operations and considering different possibilities when solving such problems.
Key takeaways:
- The initial equation 1 + 2 * 3 + 4 * 5 + 6 * 7 + 8 * 9 = 479 is incorrect and needs a pair of parentheses added to make it true.
- The order of operations, PEMDAS (Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division, Addition and Subtraction), is used to solve the equation.
- Several different possibilities for where to place the parentheses were explored, with the correct placement being around (3 + 4 * 5 + 6).
- The corrected equation is 1 + 2 * (3 + 4 * 5 + 6) * 7 + 8 * 9 = 479.