# BODMAS versus BOMDAS

• July 10th 2008, 03:03 AM
berniecole
BODMAS versus BOMDAS
At my age I was taught using The Brackets,Other,Multiply,Divide, Add, Subtract protocol
hence 600/5*2=60

Today students are taught using The Brackets,Other,Divide, Multiply,Add, Subtract protocol
hence 600/5*2=240

When was BODMAS introduced and what was the reason for the change?

berniecole
• July 10th 2008, 03:24 AM
chbrules
I was always taught PEMDAS and I'm 22.

Parrens, exponents, multi, div, add, sub.

PEMDAS was short for "Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally"
• July 10th 2008, 04:31 AM
Chop Suey
Just like chb, I also use PEMDAS.

To avoid any confusions, always enclose calculations you fear someone might apply a different protocol in parenthesis. :p

EDIT: In textbooks, it should be clear what to do first, since the format is usually like this:
$\frac{600}{5} \cdot 2$

or

$\frac{600}{5\cdot2}$
• July 10th 2008, 04:45 AM
topsquark
Better check these sites. BODMAS and PEDMAS say exactly the same thing.
600/5*2 = 120*2 = 240
in both cases.

-Dan
• July 10th 2008, 04:52 AM
Chop Suey
Quote:

Originally Posted by topsquark
Better check these sites. BODMAS and PEDMAS say exactly the same thing.
600/5*2 = 120*2 = 240
in both cases.

-Dan

Hey Dan,
I believe he was talking about BODMAS and BOMDAS. (Wink)

• July 10th 2008, 08:27 AM
berniecole
Bodmas versus Bomdas
Quote:

Originally Posted by Chop Suey
Just like chb, I also use PEMDAS.

To avoid any confusions, always enclose calculations you fear someone might apply a different protocol in parenthesis. :p

EDIT: In textbooks, it should be clear what to do first, since the format is usually like this:
$\frac{600}{5} \cdot 2$

or

$\frac{600}{5\cdot2}$

I assummed that acording to PEMDAS multiplication had greater precedence than division and hence 600/5*2=60. However when doing a Spreadsheet calculation it is stated that multiplication and division have equeal precedence and the calcultion is read from left to right hence the confusion, 600/5*2=240. when did PEDMAS or BODMAS come into being?

I usually aviod the confusion by peppering my equations with prenthesis

• July 10th 2008, 08:44 AM
Chop Suey
Multiplication and divison have equal precedence. The problem is the confusion in your example:
600/5*2

Since you used a backslash to indicate division, the usual approach would be to assume that 600/5 is a separate fraction multiplied by 2.
• July 10th 2008, 09:04 AM
topsquark
Quote:

Originally Posted by berniecole
I assummed that acording to PEMDAS multiplication had greater precedence than division and hence 600/5*2=60. However when doing a Spreadsheet calculation it is stated that multiplication and division have equeal precedence and the calcultion is read from left to right hence the confusion, 600/5*2=240. when did PEDMAS or BODMAS come into being?

I usually aviod the confusion by peppering my equations with prenthesis

If you look at the site links I provided it states that multiplication and division have equal precedence, so if there is any question between the order of the two then the expression reads left to right. So
600/5*2
(600/5)*2

-Dan
• July 10th 2008, 05:51 PM
I've always been taught PEMDAS, and have always used it. I actually had never heard of BODMAS until I joined this forum.
• July 19th 2008, 09:58 PM
sweetG
Bodmas Vs Bomdas
Well I remember learing BODMAS too but I've heard of BIDMAS as well (Brackets, INDICES, Division, Multiplication,Addition and Subtraction)

Hmm wow I never new about the other one anyway just stick to what you learnt :) That's what i do
• July 20th 2008, 02:38 AM
Matt Westwood
We were given BOMDAS as well at kiddie-school, I always wondered about the "O" which was given to us as "Of" (Wondering).

It was ingrained in us that the MD were interpreted left to right and the AS bit was also interpreted in the same way, as - and + are also at equal precedence.

Later on when I went to big school we were told BEDMAS, where, indeed, the E is for exponentiation, making the mnemonic complete.

If you seriously don't want confusion, then always write judicious brackets. Alternatively, use a leftfix or rightfix (a.k.a. Polish or Reverse Polish) notation.(Giggle)
• July 20th 2008, 10:52 AM
euclid2
I was taught BEDMAS (brackets, exponents, division, multiplication, addition, subtraction)