| In the last chapter, we said: | ||
| "Do multiplication and division before addition and subtraction. | ||
| If you have signs of equal importance, go left to right." | ||
| Well, there's one exception. | ||
| Sometimes we have parenthesis in the problem. | ||
| Like this: | ||
|
(8 + 4) ÷ (4 - 2) |
||
| Here's how these work. | ||
| The stuff inside a set of parenthesis is in its own little world. | ||
| It gets done first. So: | ||
|
|
||
| After we've done everything inside the parenthesis, | ||
| we don't need them any more: | ||
|
12 ÷ 2 = 6 |
||
| Example: | ||
|
2 + 3 × 4 ÷ 2 |
||
|
2 + 12 ÷ 2 |
||
|
2 + 6 |
||
|
8 |
||
|
Example: |
||
|
(2 + 3) × 4 ÷ 2 |
||
|
5 × 4 ÷ 2 |
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|
5 × 2 |
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|
10 |
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| Example: | ||
|
(2 + 3 × 4) ÷ 2 |
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|
(2 + 12) ÷ 2 |
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|
14 ÷ 2 |
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|
7 |
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|
copyright 2005 Bruce Kirkpatrick |
