[mentor2k]

But there IS NO PARENTHESIS before the 2. You’re implying it. So the operation is to do the math outside any parenthesis first. Thus the answer is 288.

[Bikkuri]

Thank you.. that’s the way I see it (and learned it) :)

Bikk

[USS Alaska]

Half say 288, half say 2, so if John Boehner were to negotiate this deal, the answer would be 38.5 and we won, {we also gave the other guys both calculators}.

Man, do we know how to solve problems.

[mmichaels1970]

But there IS NO PARENTHESIS

There is also no multiplication operator (*) between the 2 and the 9+3. So what we are looking at is a factor, not a multiplication operation x(y+z) is the same as (xy+xz) where x*(y+z) would fall to order of operations as a multiplication operation.

[BoringGuy]

You are correct. I was attempting to show the accociation created by the LACK of an operator between the 2 and the (9+3). Obviously poorly.

Others have explained it much more clearly. Sorry for the confusion.