PEMDAS stands for Parentheses, Exponents, Multiply or Divide, Add or Subtract. It is a mnemonic device used to remember the order in which mathematical operations should be performed in an expression.
Following the order of operations ensures that mathematical expressions are evaluated correctly. It helps maintain consistency and avoids ambiguity in calculations.
Common misconceptions include forgetting the precedence of addition/subtraction and multiplication/division, as well as confusion with parentheses. This lesson plan addresses these misconceptions and provides examples to clarify the concepts.