[masraum]

Originally Posted by fred cook

Order of operation should be multiplication, division, addition and then subtraction.
56-24/3+12 divide 24 by3 equals 8. Add 8 + 12 to get 20. Subtract 20 from 56 leaves 36!

Meh, there is only multiplication and addition. division is multiplication and subtraction is just addition of a negative.

Originally Posted by Bill Verburg

the correct answer is 60


no,
first rule is left to right
multiplication and division have the same hierarchical position, so you do them in order from the left to the right
addition and subtraction have the same hierarchical position, so you do then is order left to right
56 - 28 ÷ 3 + 12
56 - 8 + 12
48 + 12
60

if the teacher wanted any other result parenthesis would be needed to be explicitly placed

Originally Posted by ckissick

But you're not adding 8+12 to get twenty. You're adding -8 + 12 to get 4.

What those guys ^ said