Order of Operations in Formulas
Control which calculation happens first using parentheses and operator priority.
Order Changes the Answer
When a formula mixes operators, the order matters. In =2+3*4, multiply-first gives 14, add-first gives 20. The spreadsheet always picks one order: 14.
=2+3*4The Priority Rules
Spreadsheets follow a fixed priority called PEMDAS: parentheses, then exponents, then multiply and divide, then add and subtract last.
=2+3*4All lessons in this course
- Why Every Formula Starts With Equals
- Adding and Subtracting in a Cell
- Multiplying and Dividing Values
- Order of Operations in Formulas