Order of Operations:
What is the answer to this ? 4 + 6 x 2 =
Did you get 20?
Can you see how the answer could be 16?
There are two possible ways to figure out this problem.
Do the addition first : Do the multiplication first:
4 + 6 x 2 = 4 + 6 x 2 =
10 x 2 =20 4 + 12 = 16
Which is it?
Both answers can't be right or we would always be arguing to the answers of math problems. The nice thing about math is there is always just ONE answer.
So a long time ago mathematicians decided to make a set of rules for what to do first in a math problem.
The rules are called the Order of Operations!
which is abbreviated by PEMDAS.
The P in PEMDAS stands for "parenthesis"
Parenthesis in math are used to group important things together, so you always do them first.
For example:
Here's another Example:
The classic sentence that math geeks have been using for years to remember the Order of Operations (PEMDAS) is:
Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally
Can you think of a sentence to go along with this acronym?
Hello Richelle,
ReplyDeleteI REALLY like you post on PEMDAS! I learned so much and the video really reinforced your lesson. Now I will never forget the correct order of operations, thanks! Great post!
lol i'm glad you really liked it. I will never forget about the order of operations because we had to make our own sentence to it, (but I still can only remember Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE your blog, and the color-coding really helps the lesson stand out and everything reads so clearly. I've never learned how to do Order of Operations with the "PEMDAS" acronym but this method makes it easy to remember.
ReplyDelete