# What if my question was not well defined and I got two types of answers?

My question How to divide natural number N into M nearly equal summands? was not well defined from the math point of view.

If it would programmers site I would definitely award answer saying what I wanted to get.

But in mathematics this can be incorrect.

What should I do?

• I don't understand your question. – Pedro Tamaroff Dec 26 '14 at 2:53
• If multiple answers helped you, definitely vote both upward, and give the check to the one that helped the most – Alan Dec 29 '14 at 13:02

From your description, my understanding is that:

1. You asked a question that was ambiguously stated (where different interpretations could result in different answers), or possibly incorrectly stated (where you meant to ask X, but really asked Y.)
2. You have some answers that respond to your question exactly as stated and some that respond to the question you had in your mind.
3. You are conflicted over which answer to accept--the one that answers the question you asked, versus the one that answers the question you wanted answered. :)

As always, the recommendation is accept the answer that was most helpful to you. If this is a case of the XY problem (which I think it is), that's OK--my suggestion stays the same.

• But if the other answer was also helpful, leave a comment on it saying so. And vote it up. – Gerry Myerson Dec 26 '14 at 7:28