In BODMAS (you know- Brackets, Of, Division, Multiply, Add, Subtract) Anyways, what does Of stand for?

Question

It means powers doesn't it? As in 2 to the power of four. Like 2^4, yea?

The answer's 16 of course. but is that what it is? is it powers? Yea?

Answer 1

'Of' is just an alternative form of 'multiplication'.
(2/3) of 9
means the same as:
(2/3) * 9.

BODMAS does not include exponentiation.

Answer 2

Actually the O in BODMAS does stand or raising to a power. This is an Austrailian/New Zealand term where O stands for ORDER. 5 to the 3rd power is also called the 3rd order of 5. Sometimes you will see BIDMAS where the I stands for indicies which is another name for an exponent or power.

So to calculate [3 x 5 + 1]^2 you first evaluate what is inside the Brackets (B), then raise that value to the order 2, or the index 2, or the power 2, all meaning square the value.

Of, of course, does not mean "multiply," In "find the sum of 3 and 5" we would add. Of is a preposition that refers to a number we will operate on. In the expression " find 2/3 of 9" the 2/3 is to operate on the 9. To carry out this operation we multiply. But "of" does not mean multiply.

Answer 3

Ya use PEMDAS it says everything straight forward and worked really well for me.

Answer 4

It's exponents or powers.

Answer 5

Use PEMDAS, it always worked for me.

Parentheses
Exponents
Multiplication
Division
Addition
Subtraction