Because if numerical expressions were simplified in any old order, then different orders would give different answers.
For example,
2+3*5 = 2 + 15 = 17
But if you did it as 2+3*5 = 5*5 = 25
The rules are there to ensure that the same everyone arrives at the same answer every time.
Chat with our AI personalities
order of operations
They both use PEMDAS or Order of Operation
When you replace the variable with a number and perform the operations, you evaluate an expression. This process involves substituting the numerical value for the variable and simplifying the expression according to the given operations. Evaluation is a fundamental concept in mathematics and is used to determine the value of the expression under specific conditions.
Numerical expressions solely include numbers, while algebraic expressions may contain a variable like x. An example of a numerical expression is 1+2 and an example of an algebraic expression is 2x+3y=0.
A pair of parentheses consists of two round brackets, typically written as "(" and ")". They are used in writing to enclose additional information, clarify meaning, or indicate a separate thought. In mathematics, parentheses denote the order of operations, indicating which calculations should be performed first. Overall, they serve to add clarity and structure to both written language and numerical expressions.