3+4 /2 -7 Add enough parentheses to the order is:+,-,/

Question

Convert the first expression so the order of the operations is +,-,/.  Show the reasoning behind it.

Answer 1

Hello, Mary.  The first step in this sort of problem is to understand what the current order of operations (PEMDAS - Parenthesis, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, and Subtraction - in that order) is.  So here we see that the first thing (as it is currently written) would be the division - followed by addition and subtraction.  To change the first thing to be the addition (as your problem states) you simply add parenthesis around the terms to be added.

(3+4)/2-7 And now the addition is first.  Next step is to make subtraction happen before division.  This can be done by another set of parenthesis.

(3+4)/(2-7) Now we see that the order of operations (again using the PEMDAS rule) is addition, then subtraction, followed by division.  Just as your problem asks for (+,-,/).  I hope that helps you understand order of operations a bit more.

-David