Order of Operations (PEMDAS)
The rules dictating the sequence in which mathematical operations are performed.
PEMDAS: Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division (left to right), Addition and Subtraction (left to right). For 8 + 2 × 5, you multiply first: 8 + 10 = 18, not (8 + 2) × 5 = 50. This is the most commonly misunderstood math concept — viral social media math problems exploit PEMDAS confusion for engagement. The rule exists so that every person evaluating the same expression gets the same answer.
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