The order of operations in mathematics is a set of rules that dictate the correct sequence to evaluate a mathematical expression. This order is often remembered by the acronym PEMDAS:
- Parentheses - Perform calculations inside parentheses first.
- Exponents - Calculate exponents or powers next.
- Multiplication and Division - Perform these operations from left to right.
- Addition and Subtraction - Finally, perform these operations from left to right.
So yes, you do start with parentheses if there are any in the expression you are evaluating. If there are no parentheses, you would move on to exponents, then multiplication and division, and finally addition and subtraction, according to their order in the expression.