Thread: Do we follow BEDMAS or ...?

7 -4+3x0+ 1 = ?

is this BEDMAS... (Brackets, Exponents, Division, Multiplication, Addition, Subtraction)
you just Multiply 3x0=0 then you Add 4+0+1=5 then you Subtract 7-5 = 2

OR

7-4=3 +1=4 ??

Originally Posted by chadonline

7 -4+3x0+ 1 = ?

is this BEDMAS... (Brackets, Exponents, Division, Multiplication, Addition, Subtraction)
you just Multiply 3x0=0 then you Add 4+0+1=5 then you Subtract 7-5 = 2

OR

7-4=3 +1=4 ??

Both ways work. The point is that you recognise that the 3 x 0 represents three zeroes being added, so 7 - 4 + 3 x 0 + 1 = 7 - 4 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 1.

Both ways you have suggested have demonstrated that you have recognised this and so have gotten you the right answer.

Originally Posted by Prove It

Both ways work.

But post #1 contains two different orders of operations with two different answers...

Originally Posted by emakarov

But post #1 contains two different orders of operations with two different answers...

Both methods are actually the same. If you'll read it properly, the OP has realised that in both cases the 3 x 0 = 0 and needs to be done first.

The different answers come from the fact that in the first question, the OP has forgotten that everything needs to be subtracted from 7.

is the answer 2 or 4? or both?

The answer is 4. Your method in the first case is correct, but you have forgotten that since addition and subtraction have equal power, that once you have nothing but additions and subtractions left, that you work from left to right.