🪜The PEMDAS Order
1P
Parentheses first — do everything inside grouping symbols ( ).Brackets [ ] and braces { } count too.
( )
2E
Exponents next — the small raised power, like 5³.5³ = 5 × 5 × 5 = 125.
xⁿ
3MD
Multiply & Divide — a tie! Do them left to right.Whichever comes first as you read.
× ÷
4AS
Add & Subtract — also a tie! Do them left to right.Last of all, reading left to right.
+ −
🧮Solve It Step by Step
3 + (4 − 1)² × 2
Work top to bottom: P → E → M → A. One operation at a time!
⚖️Ties & a Calculator Check
↔️It's a tie? Go left → right
× and ÷ don't fight — do whichever comes first reading left to right.
🧮Why 14, not 20?
A good calculator multiplies before it adds — that's the order of operations at work.
🔑Key Terms
🛣️PEMDAS Parentheses, Exponents, Multiply/Divide, Add/Subtract — the order to follow.
🔵Parentheses The symbols ( ) that group parts of a problem so they're done first.
⬆️Exponent A small raised number telling how many times to multiply the base by itself.
🔍Evaluate To find the value of an expression by doing all its operations.
➕Operation A math action: adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
📦Grouping Symbol Any ( ), [ ], or { } used to keep math parts together.
⭐
Remember: do P → E → MD → AS, and break every tie by reading left to right — then everyone gets the same answer!