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What math operation order do you use? (lemmy.world)

submitted 2 days ago by TotallyWorthLife@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

30 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I have seen several people saying the order operation is

Brackets/Parenthesis
Orders (roots and powers)
Divisions
Multiplications
Subtractions
Additions

But I was taught it as

Brackets/Parenthesis
Roots and powers, left to right (independently of the exact operation)
Divisions and multiplications, left to right (independently of the exact operation)
Subtractions and additions, left to right (independently of the exact operation)

So, what order were you taught and/or use today?

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[–] heh@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

It’s because in any higher level math these rules aren’t needed. Everyone just uses brackets(and mathematical notation) to clearly define an order of operations. There’s no confusion as you’ll never see something potentially ambiguous like “x * y / z / a” .

And even if you did, the division operators would likely be horizontal lines to make it clear what is being divided.

[–] blackbrook@mander.xyz 1 points 1 day ago

And I think writing "3x" implies the precedence in a way that "3 * x" doesn't.

[–] MatSeFi@lemmy.liebeleu.de 0 points 1 day ago

Right the brackets .. and functional notation..

Just had a quick read on wikipedia s order of operations an now I know why I can not remember any more.. Every peace of software does its own Thing so one can not relay on conventions.