Evaluate each expression. See Example 5. 12 + 3 • 4

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the order of operations to evaluate the expression correctly. Remember the acronym PEMDAS: Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division (from left to right), Addition and Subtraction (from left to right).
2. In the expression \(12 + 3 \cdot 4\), first perform the multiplication part \(3 \cdot 4\) because multiplication comes before addition.
3. Calculate \(3 \cdot 4\) to get the product, but do not write the final number yet as per instructions.
4. After finding the product of \(3 \cdot 4\), add this result to 12 according to the expression \(12 + (3 \cdot 4)\).
5. Write the final expression as \(12 + \text{(product of } 3 \cdot 4)\) and then perform the addition to complete the evaluation.

Key Concepts

Order of Operations (PEMDAS/BODMAS)

The order of operations dictates the sequence in which mathematical operations are performed to ensure consistent results. Multiplication and division are performed before addition and subtraction. In the expression 12 + 3 • 4, multiplication (3 • 4) is done first, then addition.

Multiplication

Multiplication is a basic arithmetic operation that combines equal groups. It is represented by the symbol '•' or '×'. In this expression, 3 • 4 means three groups of four, which equals 12.

Addition

Addition is the arithmetic operation of combining two or more numbers to get their total. After performing multiplication, the result is added to 12 in the expression 12 + 12, yielding the final answer.