Order of operations

Order of operations is a special set of rules that tells us the correct order in which we need to perform math operations. Imagine you have a plate of cookies, and your mom tells you to eat them in a specific order. You cannot just munch on any cookie you like whenever you feel like it; you must stick to the order your mom gave you. The same applies to math operations.

The four basic math operations are addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. When solving a math problem with all four operations, we use the order of operations to know which one to do first.

First, we always do anything inside parenthesis first, always following the left to right rule.

Second, we need to solve any Exponents (numbers raised to a power).

Next, we do any Multiplication or Division. But remember, we always start from left to right.

Then, we do any Addition or Subtraction, but again, always go from left to right.

It is crucial to follow the order precisely because performing the operations in the wrong order could lead to a totally different answer. It is just like baking a cake: if you mix the flour and sugar before adding the eggs, the cake will not be the same.

In summary, order of operations is a set of rules that helps us organize math operations correctly so that we get the right answer every time. Remembering the acronym PEMDAS will remind you of the order: Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division (from left to right), and Addition and Subtraction (left to right).