In your example you lose distributivity. (2+4)2 is 22+4*2, which doesn't matter for numbers but it matters for algebra. If addition comes first then there's no way to represent distribution.

[–] kogasa@programming.dev 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

The distributive law, assuming commutativity and other axioms, is a*(b+c) = (a*b) + (a*c). Notice how it does not matter in which order you evaluate + and * in this expression due to my use of parentheses.

PEMDAS is notation. It has no influence on the actual underlying math, only how we write it.

[–] 0ops@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

PEMDAS is notation. It has no influence on the actual underlying math, only how we write it.

Thanks, I've been trying to figure out how to put this and you did it concisely!

[–] biddy@feddit.nl 1 points 1 year ago

You're absolutely right, not sure what I was thinking.