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Battle of the algebraic mnemonics occurs on Twitter

BEDMAS? PEMDAS? Who even knows anymore?
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Everybody’s favourite algebraic tool is currently trending on Twitter.

Although, there is a little bit of confusion over whether the correct mnemonic to memorize the order of operations is the Canadian/New Zealand standard of BEDMAS (brackets, exponents, division/multiplication, addition/subtraction) or the U.S. standard, PEMDAS (parentheses, exponents, multiplication/division, addition/subtraction).

Other devices such as BODMAS (brackets, order, division/multiplication, addition/subtraction), common in United Kingdom, India, Bangladesh and Australia, and BIDMAS (brackets, indices, division/multiplication, addition/subtraction), also popular in the United Kingdom, have too made an appearance in the clash.

Though all of the mnemonics get the same point across, the Twitterverse is afire with heated arguments on both sides.

The answer is either 16 or 1.

And the internet just can’t seem to decide.

Some people’s feelings are getting hurt.

Most are just confused as to why this is happening.

All in all, it’s the same in the end regardless of which device you use… but the answer is 100 per cent 16.


@michaelrdrguez
michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com

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