this post was submitted on 27 Nov 2025
691 points (91.5% liked)
Science Memes
17465 readers
1190 users here now
Welcome to c/science_memes @ Mander.xyz!
A place for majestic STEMLORD peacocking, as well as memes about the realities of working in a lab.

Rules
- Don't throw mud. Behave like an intellectual and remember the human.
- Keep it rooted (on topic).
- No spam.
- Infographics welcome, get schooled.
This is a science community. We use the Dawkins definition of meme.
Research Committee
Other Mander Communities
Science and Research
Biology and Life Sciences
- !abiogenesis@mander.xyz
- !animal-behavior@mander.xyz
- !anthropology@mander.xyz
- !arachnology@mander.xyz
- !balconygardening@slrpnk.net
- !biodiversity@mander.xyz
- !biology@mander.xyz
- !biophysics@mander.xyz
- !botany@mander.xyz
- !ecology@mander.xyz
- !entomology@mander.xyz
- !fermentation@mander.xyz
- !herpetology@mander.xyz
- !houseplants@mander.xyz
- !medicine@mander.xyz
- !microscopy@mander.xyz
- !mycology@mander.xyz
- !nudibranchs@mander.xyz
- !nutrition@mander.xyz
- !palaeoecology@mander.xyz
- !palaeontology@mander.xyz
- !photosynthesis@mander.xyz
- !plantid@mander.xyz
- !plants@mander.xyz
- !reptiles and amphibians@mander.xyz
Physical Sciences
- !astronomy@mander.xyz
- !chemistry@mander.xyz
- !earthscience@mander.xyz
- !geography@mander.xyz
- !geospatial@mander.xyz
- !nuclear@mander.xyz
- !physics@mander.xyz
- !quantum-computing@mander.xyz
- !spectroscopy@mander.xyz
Humanities and Social Sciences
Practical and Applied Sciences
- !exercise-and sports-science@mander.xyz
- !gardening@mander.xyz
- !self sufficiency@mander.xyz
- !soilscience@slrpnk.net
- !terrariums@mander.xyz
- !timelapse@mander.xyz
Memes
Miscellaneous
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
I never ran into PEMDAS while growing up, in Sweden I've always been taught of it as the following order of operations:
Technically roots are a form of exponent, just fractional (square root is power of 1/2, for instance). I can see how it could be easier to conceptualize when you break it down like that though. Neat to see the differences compared to the US breakdown :)
Technically we go for 2. Powers & Roots, I just didn't want to break the PEMDAS when comparing. :)
e: Wanted to see if this is a thing in English.
That's PEMDAS...
They aren't using the same words so the shorthand (if they have one) is different. I don't think we had a shorthand for it either, we just learned it.
And we learned them in groups numbered like the Swedes
Okay then, but, fun story, the BODMAS they're talking about is also just PEMDAS using different words and a different listed order for multiplication/division, with the understanding that it's more properly PE(MD)(AS)
The order of operations is the important bit and everyone learns it that way. What causes the arguments is when dummies online forget that M+D or A+S can theoretically be done properly in any order and that part is a matter of preference.
The disadvantage of a shorthand compared to just a numbered list might be that people think it's strictly one after the another instead of groups