In the order of operations PEMDAS the \( P \) stand

The \( P \) in PEMDAS stands for "Parentheses." This means that when you're solving an equation, you should always tackle anything within parentheses or brackets first. So if you see something like \( (2 + 3) \times 4 \), you’d solve \( 2 + 3 \) to get \( 5 \), and then continue with \( 5 \times 4 \) to arrive at \( 20 \). Remember, parentheses come first in the quest for correct answers! While you might think that forgetting about the order of operations wouldn't matter much, it can totally change your outcome! For instance, calculating \( 8 - 2 \times 3 \) without adhering to PEMDAS could lead to an incorrect result. Always remember to handle multiplication before subtraction according to the order of operations, leading you to \( 8 - 6 = 2 \). Avoid those pesky miscalculations by respecting the math hierarchy!