How do you simplify 7(5 - 2) + 4 ÷ 2 times 2 +1 using order of operations?

1 Answer
Nov 14, 2015

Use PEMDAS (with caution!!!)

Explanation:

Let's rewrite your expression as:
7(5-2) + 4/2 * 2 + 1

NOTE: this is NOT the same as
7(5-2) + 4/(2*2) + 1

In order of getting the second expression, you would have to write it like this:
7(5−2)+4÷(2×2)+1

PEMDAS is a little bit misleading, because you actually have to multiply and divide at the same time (if there's not a set of parentheses). It would be wrong to divide 4 by (2*2), since there was not originally a set or parentheses there.

This gives you:

7(5-2) + 4/2 * 2 + 1
7*(3) + 4/cancel(2) * cancel(2) + 1
21 + 4 + 1 = 26