WE'RE OPEN! CALL NOWThe order of operations in Math is an important concept without which there would be different answers to one problem. In social media, mostly Facebook, thousands of users solve Math puzzles. When reviewing the comments, many have different answers. But, there is only one correct answer which is the correct outcomes by following the order of operations. For example, Solving the problem 2 + 3 * 5, the general tendency without following any rules would be to straightaway add 2 & 3 and multiply the outcome to the number 5. This would result in giving an answer 25. On the other hand, when the numbers 3 and 5 are multiplies first, and then the result added to 2, would give an answer 17. So, which is the right answer?
Math operations follows an order and it is termed as ‘PEDMAS’. The order specifies that in math the operations begin with parentheses or brackets, follow along with Exponents, then Division and Multiplication, then end with addition and subtraction.
P - Parentheses (brackets)
E - Exponents
D - Division
M - Multiplication
A - Addition
S - Subtraction.
In the example problem above, following the order of operation, one must multiply the numbers 3 and 5 to get an answer 15. Then add the result to the number 2, to get 17. So, the correct answer for the problem 2 + 3 * 5 is 17.
The order of the operation is ranked, based on the simplicity of the operations. The most basic operation is Addition. Multiplication is successive additions, and Exponents are successive multiplications. But if they are grouped together using parentheses, the value can change.
For example, the result of 3 * 3 + 2 is not the same as 3 * (3 + 2). The first problem gives a result 9 + 2 = 11. The second problem gives a totally different result due to parentheses grouping. In the second example, following the PEDMAS rule, the answer is 3 * 5 = 15. Thus, parentheses has higher precedence over all the operations. What if the problem has multiple parentheses? This is called Nested problems.
Example, 3 + 2* (6 - 1*(2 *3)). To solve this problem, one must evaluate the innermost parenthesis and follow the order of operation.Hence one must multiply 2 * 3 = 6 first. Now the expression is 3 + 2(6 - 1 * 6). 1 * 6 is 6. 3 + 2 *(6 - 6). Next, evaluate the final parentheses, 6 - 6 = 0. So, 3 + 2 * 0 = 3 + 0 = 3
