order of operations
PEMDAS governs this
Order of operations is the sequence in which mathematical calculations must be performed to get the correct answer.
The standard convention—parentheses first, then exponents, then multiplication and division, then addition and subtraction—is often remembered by the mnemonic PEMDAS or BODMAS.
Without agreed-upon rules, the same expression could yield different results: The order of operations tells us 2 + 3 × 4 equals 14, not 20.
Curved enclosing punctuation marks
- exponentsRaised power indicators
- multiplicationProduct-finding operation
- divisionSplitting into parts
- additionJoining quantities mathematically
subtraction · brackets · grouping · nested · hierarchy · indices · powers · radicals
Joining quantities mathematically
- subtractionRemoving quantities mathematically
- multiplicationProduct-finding operation
- divisionSplitting into parts
- fractionsParts expressed numerically
decimals · integers · negatives · positives · computation · sum · difference · product
Sequential actions in process
- procedurePrescribed sequence of actions
- firstPosition number one
- thenAt that time
- nextImmediately following in sequence
left-to-right · stages · progression · systematic · methodical · structure · process · hierarchy
Changeable elements in equations
- polynomialsExpressions with variable powers
- quadraticInvolving squared terms
- binomialExpression with two terms
- trinomialExpression with three terms
coefficients · terms · inequality · radical · logarithms · function · factoring · simplify
parentheses
Curved enclosing punctuation marks
- exponentsRaised power indicators
- multiplicationProduct-finding operation
- divisionSplitting into parts
addition · subtraction · brackets · grouping · nested · hierarchy · indices · powers · radicals · roots
addition
Joining quantities mathematically
- subtractionRemoving quantities mathematically
- multiplicationProduct-finding operation
- divisionSplitting into parts
fractions · decimals · integers · negatives · positives · computation · sum · difference · product · quotient
steps
Sequential actions in process
next · left-to-right · stages · progression · systematic · methodical · structure · process · hierarchy · priority
variables
Changeable elements in equations
- polynomialsExpressions with variable powers
- quadraticInvolving squared terms
- binomialExpression with two terms
trinomial · coefficients · terms · inequality · radical · logarithms · function · factoring · simplify · distribute
curriculum
Educational program's content plan
- mathematicsScience of quantity and structure
- lessonUnit of teaching
- studentsThose receiving instruction
homework · textbook · classroom · worksheet · tutorial · misconception · practice · quiz · test · problem-solving
- Math RulesPythagorean theorem, distributive property, commutative property, associative property, product rule
- arithmeticaddition, subtraction, multiplication, division, sum
- basic mathsubtraction, multiplying, dividing, adding, subtracting
- mathaddition, subtraction, multiplication, division, algebra
- math skillsarithmetic, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division
- math basicsaddition, subtraction, multiplication, numbers, fractions
order of operationsno rules
order of operationschaos
Complete disorder and confusion
disorder · randomness · anarchy · guesswork
order, orders, ordered, ordering, orderly, orderliness, disorder, disordered, disorderly