Which operation is performed first in the expression 5 + 3 × 2?

Which operation is performed first in the expression 5 + 3 × 2?

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

Answer: (B)

In the expression 5 + 3 × 2, the order of operations, often remembered by the acronym PEMDAS (Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division (from left to right), Addition and Subtraction (from left to right)), dictates that multiplication is performed before addition. Here, you first identify the multiplication part of the expression: 3 × 2, which equals 6. After completing that operation, you then add this result to 5. Therefore, the expression becomes 5 + 6, which equals 11. This demonstrates that multiplication must be performed first in accordance with the rules of arithmetic operations.

In the expression 5 + 3 × 2, the order of operations, often remembered by the acronym PEMDAS (Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division (from left to right), Addition and Subtraction (from left to right)), dictates that multiplication is performed before addition.

Here, you first identify the multiplication part of the expression: 3 × 2, which equals 6. After completing that operation, you then add this result to 5. Therefore, the expression becomes 5 + 6, which equals 11. This demonstrates that multiplication must be performed first in accordance with the rules of arithmetic operations.