## B1.05: Section 4

Evaluate variable expressions when given the value of each variable, using the correct order of operations.

Recall these rules about order of operations. Do them in this order.

1. All operations inside symbols of grouping (parentheses) from the inside out.
2. All operations of exponents or roots.
3. All multiplications and divisions, in order from left to right.
4. All additions and subtractions, in order from left to right.

The best method I know is to write the expression first with the variable, then with parentheses in place of the variable, and then with the values inserted into the parentheses.

Then you can remove any of those parentheses that aren’t needed to keep the negative numbers clear and to keep the products of two numbers clear.

Then, begin to evaluate the expression according to the order of operations, doing one operation per step.

For problems in this course, the most important of these rules are to do exponents first and then to do multiplications/divisions before additions/subtractions.

### Example 1

Evaluate $y=6+2x$ when $x=7$.

### Example 2

Evaluate $y=u{{x}^{4}}$ when $x=2\,\,\,and\,\,\,u=9$.