Question

4(2)^3
Why is the answer 32. If I follow PEMDAS, I should do the 4(2) first right?

Answer 1

PEMDAS don't consider caculating series
if you calcuate by PEMDAS, PEMDAS calculate by (4*2)^3
So for this calculating, you had better buy scientific calculator avavilable parenthesis function

Answer 2

PEMDAS is explained clearly here: http://www.mathsisfun.com/operation-order-pemdas.html

Answer 3

Ok thanks

Answer 4

It says to do the parens first! Ok so 4x2 is 8, 8^3 is 512! Wrong answer!

Answer 5

in your particular case, it would imply you do the braces first to get:\[4(2)^3=4\times2^3\]then the exponents to get:\[4(2)^3=4\times2^3=4\times8\]

Answer 6

what you calculated was:\[(4\times2)^3=(8)^3=8^3\]

Answer 7

Ok I see the () are for the ^3 not for the 4

Answer 8

yes :)

Answer 9

generally if you something like \(x*(...)^n\) it means first calculate what the \(...\) evaluates to inside the braces, then remove the braces and apply the exponent.

Answer 10

and finally multiply by x

Answer 11

Thank you!

Answer 12

yw :)