Which operation would you perform first in the expression 7 + 3 × 2?

Which operation would you perform first in the expression 7 + 3 × 2?

• A. Addition
• B. Multiplication
• C. Subtraction
• D. Division

Answer: (B)

In the expression 7 + 3 × 2, the order of operations, commonly remembered by the acronym PEMDAS (Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division (from left to right), Addition and Subtraction (from left to right)), dictates that multiplication should be performed before addition. In this case, you first compute 3 × 2, which equals 6. Then, you take the result of that multiplication and add it to 7, resulting in 7 + 6, which equals 13. This demonstrates why multiplication is the first operation to perform; following the correct order of operations ensures that the expression is evaluated accurately.

In the expression 7 + 3 × 2, the order of operations, commonly remembered by the acronym PEMDAS (Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division (from left to right), Addition and Subtraction (from left to right)), dictates that multiplication should be performed before addition.

In this case, you first compute 3 × 2, which equals 6. Then, you take the result of that multiplication and add it to 7, resulting in 7 + 6, which equals 13. This demonstrates why multiplication is the first operation to perform; following the correct order of operations ensures that the expression is evaluated accurately.