- Aug 18, 2010
- 4,363
- 10
Again, the left to right thing isnt the problem. The problem is if you should multiply 2 by 12 FIRST because 12 is "Still in the parenthesis" and needs to be resolved, or if solving the 9+3 resolved the parenthesis and makes it 48/2*12, in which case you would do left to right.......Originally Posted by pacmagic2002
Originally Posted by msaba07
for those who don't like economists ...
A common technique for remembering the order of operations is the abbreviation "PEMDAS", which is turned into the phrase "Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally". It stands for "Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division, and Addition and Subtraction". This tells you the ranks of the operations: Parentheses outrank exponents, which outrank multiplication and division (but multiplication and division are at the same rank), and these two outrank addition and subtraction (which are together on the bottom rank). When you have a bunch of operations of the same rank, you just operate from left to right. For instance, 15 ÷ 3 à 4 is not 15 ÷ 12, but is rather 5 à 4, because, going from left to right, you get to the division first.
/thread
but if its "Still in the parenthesis" it would be read as 48/2(12) and because the 12 is still within the parenthesis, you need to multiply 2 time 12 first, which makes it 2.
this is the issue, so keep it open...
Hey, a healthy conversation about something other than WSHH or TMZ is always good
The 12 is resolved though....