The order of operations must be used when simplifying a math expression

Yes, the order of operations is a set of rules that determines the correct sequence to evaluate a mathematical expression. The commonly accepted acronym for the order of operations is PEMDAS, which stands for:

1. **P**arentheses: Perform calculations inside parentheses first.
2. **E**xponents: Next, calculate any exponents (powers and square roots, etc.).
3. **M**ultiplication and **D**ivision: Perform multiplication and division from left to right.
4. **ddition and **S**ubtraction: Finally, perform addition and subtraction from left to right.

Here’s a quick example to illustrate the order of operations:

Consider the expression: \( 3 + 6 \times (5 + 4) \div 3 - 7 \)

1. **Parentheses**: \( 5 + 4 = 9 \)
- The expression now reads: \( 3 + 6 \times 9 \div 3 - 7 \)

2. **Multiplication and Division** (from left to right):
- First, \( 6 \times 9 = 54 \)
- Now, \( 54 \div 3 = 18 \)
- The expression now reads: \( 3 + 18 - 7 \)

3. **Addition and Subtraction** (from left to right):
- First, \( 3 + 18 = 21 \)
- Then, \( 21 - 7 = 14 \)

Thus, the final result is \( 14 \). Always remember to follow PEMDAS to ensure accurate results when simplifying expressions!