You’ve probably met my dear Aunt Sally. Most likely, you met her when you were in high school. You may not recall what she looks like, but this wise old woman offered a valuable lesson.
Don’t remember the lesson? Let’s see if this example helps.
What’s 2 + 3 x 3?
If you said, “15,” you’re wrong. The correct answer is “11.”
Fifteen is the answer you get by reading the equation from left to right, doing the addition part of the calculation before the multiplication as in 2 + 3 = 5, then 5 x 3 = 15. But, if you do the multiplication first, the answer turns out to be completely different, as in 3 x 3 = 9, then 9 + 2 = 11.
Math isn’t a flexible discipline. At least five centuries ago, some brilliant mathematicians formulated something called the “order of operations,” now known as PEMDAS or as many people refer to it– “Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally.”
PEMDAS stands for “Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division, Addition and Subtraction.” If you got “15″ as your initial answer in the above exercise, it’s because you forgot you met my dear Aunt Sally.
The order of operations and other forms of Boolean logic, play a big role in the business world when it comes to search, Internet algorithms, and even creating an bulk e-mail campaign.
Don’t forget your relatives, especially, yours and my dear Aunt Sally!
What type of high school math do you find surprisingly helpful these days?
-Michael Angelo Caruso, Royal Oak, Michigan
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