Question

which would you complete first in this equation? 5 + 3² - (4 + 2) (4 + 2) 3² 5 + 9 9 - 4

Explanation:

Step1: Recall Order of Operations (PEMDAS/BODMAS)

The order of operations is Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division (from left to right), Addition and Subtraction (from left to right). So we first look for parentheses. In the equation \(5 + 3^{2}-(4 + 2)\), the part in parentheses is \((4 + 2)\). Exponents (\(3^{2}\)) also have high priority, but parentheses come before exponents in PEMDAS? Wait, no: PEMDAS is Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication/Division, Addition/Subtraction. Wait, actually, parentheses (or brackets) are first, then exponents. But let's check the operations: the equation has parentheses \((4 + 2)\), exponent \(3^{2}\), addition \(5+\) and \(4 + 2\), subtraction \(-\). Wait, no, the order is: first, perform operations inside parentheses. So \((4 + 2)\) is inside parentheses, so we do that first. Wait, but also exponents: \(3^{2}\) is an exponent. Wait, which comes first, parentheses or exponents? In PEMDAS, P (parentheses) comes before E (exponents). So we first handle the parentheses \((4 + 2)\), then exponents \(3^{2}\), then addition and subtraction. So in the given equation, the first operation to complete is \((4 + 2)\) (the parentheses) or \(3^{2}\) (the exponent)? Wait, let's recheck PEMDAS: P (parentheses), E (exponents), M/D (multiplication/division), A/S (addition/subtraction). So both parentheses and exponents are high priority, but parentheses are done before exponents? Wait, no, actually, parentheses are used to group operations, so any operations inside parentheses are done first, regardless of the other operations. So in the expression \(5 + 3^{2}-(4 + 2)\), the \((4 + 2)\) is inside parentheses, so we must do that first. Alternatively, if there were no parentheses, we would do exponents first. But here, the parentheses are a group, so we do \((4 + 2)\) first. Wait, but let's confirm with an example: \(2+(3^{2}-(1 + 1))\): first do \((1 + 1)\) (parentheses), then \(3^{2}\) (exponent), then the subtraction inside the next parentheses, then addition. So in our problem, the parentheses \((4 + 2)\) is a group, so we do that first. So the first operation to complete is \((4 + 2)\).

Answer:

\((4 + 2)\) (the option with \((4 + 2)\))