The Contentious Video of Dr. Leslie Dobson’s Shopping Cart
Dr. Leslie Dobson, a forensic and clinical psychologist from sunny California, probably had no clue that a routine grocery store excursion would set off such a tempest. But that’s exactly what occurred when she posted a TikTok video—which is currently more viral than cat memes—expressing her fairly strong opinions about shopping carts.
The Internet Video
Imagine this: a brilliant 16-second TikTok video. “I’m not returning my shopping cart and you can judge me all you want,” asserts Dobson, standing her stance. I’m not loading up my kids and groceries into my car, then abandoning them to return the shopping cart. Therefore, f— off if you’re going to give me a filthy look. Mic drop, am I correct?
Safety Issues
Dobson provided some important background information as the internet as a whole lifted itself up off the ground. She clarified in an interview with Today.com that the video’s goal was to draw attention to safety issues. “I wanted to give people permission to not return their carts if their intuition tells them they aren’t safe because predators watch our patterns and routines,” the woman said. First and foremost, safety!
Growing Numbers of Kidnappings
The worries of this mother bear are not unjustified. 265 children were kidnapped during automobile thefts in 2023, according to a disturbing “all-time high” study by Kids and automobile Safety. Anybody would be tempted to clutch their pearls at those numbers.
Public Response
Ahh, the internet, the place where everyone goes to air their grievances. Although Dobson’s video was meant to be a PSA, the public’s opinions were divided. She was praised by some, but others brought up the controversial “shopping cart theory.” In case you missed it, the theory posits that you may evaluate an individual’s moral fiber based on whether or not they give back their shopping cart. It serves as the grocery store etiquette equivalent of the philosopher’s stone.
Views Regarding the Theory of Shopping Carts
The argument continued. Isn’t returning a shopping cart an indication of moral decay, or is this just common sense parenting? There were rude tweets and angry Facebook posts. And views poured in from all directions, akin to an overfull shopping trolley.
In summary
Listen, people, Dr. Dobson brings up legitimate safety concerns. Not to mention, in a world where doing the “right” thing is paramount, she injects a dash of grounded reality. Let’s not fool ourselves, though; there may be other secure ways to return carts without endangering the security of the kids. What do you think about this story of the shopping cart? Post a remark anywhere you’d like on the internet. Just remember to bring the groceries in your vehicle.
Can You Solve This Tricky Viral Math Problem
We all love a good brain teaser, especially when it involves math—whether we admit it or not. A tricky math problem recently went viral, leaving the internet divided and proving once again that even simple-looking equations can be deceptive.
My Math Struggles & A Challenge
Here’s a quick personal anecdote: I recently started preparing for the GRE and realized that I hadn’t taken a formal math class in nearly nine years. Confidence? Gone. My quantitative reasoning skills? Rusty at best. So, I decided to brush up by taking online high school math courses, starting from the absolute basics.
When I came across this viral math puzzle that was stumping the internet, I thought, “This is my moment! Let’s see if I still have my 9th-grade math chops!” Spoiler: I did not.
The Viral Math Puzzle Taking the Internet by Storm
The problem originally surfaced in Japan, where researchers found that only 60% of people in their 20s managed to solve it correctly. It quickly spread online, turning into yet another viral challenge because, apparently, we love testing our brains with tricky equations (or we just enjoy arguing over the answers).
At first glance, the problem looks simple. But the devil is in the details. My gut told me there was some sort of trick involved—it seemed too easy. However, instead of embarrassing myself by attempting it publicly, I turned to the internet for guidance. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that someone, somewhere, has already tackled your problem and made an instructional video about it. So, I spent my morning watching people do math on YouTube. Exciting stuff.
The Math Problem:
6 ÷ 2(1 + 2) = ?
Go ahead, solve it. I’ll wait.
Video : Viral problem from Japan
Common Wrong Answers
If you got 1 or 9, you’re not alone. Many people arrived at these answers because of a little acronym called PEMDAS (Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction).
You may remember PEMDAS from school—or perhaps the mnemonic “Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally.” The rule dictates that you must solve problems in this specific order:
- Parentheses
- Exponents
- Multiplication & Division (from left to right)
- Addition & Subtraction (from left to right)
So, following PEMDAS, some people calculated it as:
- Solve inside the parentheses: (1 + 2) = 3
- Rewrite the problem: 6 ÷ 2(3)
- Some then treated 2(3) as a single term and multiplied first: 6 ÷ 6 = 1
However, others applied division before multiplication:
- 6 ÷ 2 = 3
- Then, 3 × 3 = 9
Both groups were confident in their logic, but only one approach was correct.
The Correct Answer
The correct answer is 9. Here’s why:
Step 1: Solve the Parentheses First
(1 + 2) = 3
Now the equation is rewritten as:
6 ÷ 2(3)
Step 2: Follow the Order of Operations
According to PEMDAS, division and multiplication are performed from left to right (since they share the same level of priority in the hierarchy).
- 6 ÷ 2 = 3
- 3 × 3 = 9
Wait… Isn’t the Answer 1?
Some people argue that implicit multiplication (like 2(3)) takes precedence over division. However, modern mathematical notation treats multiplication and division equally. Since they appear side by side in the equation, we solve left to right.
If the equation had been written as:
6 ÷ (2 × 3)
Then, you would multiply first and get:
6 ÷ 6 = 1
But because the given equation lacks parentheses around 2(3), the correct answer remains 9.
Why People Get It Wrong
The confusion stems from different ways of interpreting notation and how we were taught order of operations. In some older textbooks, implicit multiplication (like 2(3)) was given higher priority than division, leading to the alternative answer of 1. However, under modern mathematical conventions, division and multiplication hold equal weight and should be solved left to right.
Video : 13 Riddles That Are Trickier Than They Seem
Math Rules Are Not Always Universal
Believe it or not, different countries and academic institutions teach math slightly differently. Some older math textbooks might suggest treating multiplication next to parentheses as having higher priority, while others follow the standard left-to-right rule. This is why debates like this never really die down—people were simply taught different methods!
How to Avoid Future Math Confusion
- Always follow the standard order of operations – PEMDAS (or BODMAS, if you learned it that way).
- If in doubt, add brackets – Parentheses make everything clearer and help prevent confusion.
- Be consistent – If you’re solving problems with others, use the same approach so that everyone gets the same answer.
- Check multiple sources – Sometimes, even textbooks disagree. Looking at different explanations can help clarify tricky concepts.
Final Thoughts
This viral math problem is a perfect example of how simple-looking equations can spark endless debate. The way you approach it depends on how you learned math, but if you apply PEMDAS correctly, the answer is 9—at least according to current conventions.
So, did you get it right, or are you questioning everything you thought you knew about math? Either way, at least we can all agree that math is a lot trickier than it looks!
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