Definition
Parentheses are the symbols ( ) used in math to group parts of an expression together. Whatever is inside parentheses should be calculated first.
Parentheses are like a fence around numbers. Everything inside the fence must be solved first before you work with the numbers outside.
Examples
- (3 + 2) x 4 = 5 x 4 = 20.
- 10 - (6 - 2) = 10 - 4 = 6.
- (8 + 2) / (2 + 3) = 10 / 5 = 2.