The order
- Parentheses.
- Exponents.
- Multiplication and division, from left to right.
- Addition and subtraction, from left to right.
Multiplication doesn't always come before division. They share one step, and so do addition and subtraction.
Worked examples
Example:
Multiply first:
Left to right:
Example:
Left to right:
Negatives: and
, because the exponent applies only to the 3.
, because the parentheses include the negative.
Common mistake
This multiplies first because the M comes before the D in PEMDAS. Work left to right instead, and you get 25.
Try it yourself
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16
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12
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1
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