this post was submitted on 19 Jul 2023
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I don't know why you expect the mathematical order of operations to stay fresh in people's heads. I was taught that in like third grade, and the number of times I've needed that information outside of a math class in the 35 years since then is exactly zero. Most people don't really have occasion to go around solving written equations in their adult lives. I mean, I'm a machinist, I use math every day at my job, the only actual written equations I ever have to deal with are the ones I need to solve to shut off my alarm clock app in the morning. That stuff just doesn't stick when you never have a reason to use it.
Now do electronics. You won't be getting away from the math in that field. Unless you're TRYING to create some smoke.
People out here saying "why would you expect anyone to know basic elementary school math!?" it was the only logical progression from "no one needs to know how to solve mysterious factors!! (algebra)"
It's not an equation, it's simple math, like one used in a grocery store. You have 2 apples and then you pick up 4 more pairs of apples, how many apples you got?
As I said, it's not quantum mechanics, it's basic simple math.
I bet your alarm clock app also uses simple math problems like this one. It's expected for a grown up or a teenager to be able to solve this, that is why they put it on alarm clock app. It's not something that's meant to be easily forgotten. That is why you learn these things when you're very young, so they stick with you for the rest of your life. But from the answers, it's easy to notice that most have never even learned this in the first place, at all. Why? Your guess is as good as mine 🤷.
Because they grew up in households that would say to them "I don't know why you're having to learn this! No one uses it except for the eggheads down at Livermore!" and so they ignored it and now justify their ignorance by repeating the same horseshit anti-intellectual screed
PEMDAS is common. It stands for Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication/Division, Addition/Subtraction. PEMDAS is often expanded to the mnemonic "Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally" in schools.