Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally Order of Operations Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally
Parentheses: Solve all operations in parentheses first! Example: 12 / ( 6 - 3 ) = You would subtract 6 - 3 before dividing. The result would be: 12 / ( 3) = 4 If Order of Operations were not followed the result would be 12 / 6 = 2 then 2 - 3 = -1.
Exponents Solve all exponents or operations with exponents. Example: 20 x 53 Solve the power first : 53 = 5 x 5 x 5 = 125. So …. 20 x 125 = 2500. If the problem was solved without the correct order the answer would be 1000000.
Multiplication & Division: Solve multiplication and division from left to right!! Example: 6 / 2 x 4 Solve 6 /2 first. The quotient is 3. Then the problem is 3 x 4 = 12. If solved out of order with multiplication done first the answer would be 6 / 8 = 3/4.
Addition & Subtraction: Solve addition and subtraction last from left to right. Example: 24 + 4 - 3 + 7= Solve 24 + 4 first. 24 + 4 = 28 Then 28 - 3 which equals 25. And finally 25 + 7 = 32. Do not add first and then subtract such as: 24 + 4 =28 then add 3 + 7 =10 and subtract last 28 - 10=18
Example Problems: 4 + 13 x 2 - 12 12 / (3 -1) - 5 43 + 2 x 5