Final answer:
Multiplication and division have higher precedence than addition and subtraction in mathematical operations. They are performed first when solving problems with multiple operations, following the order of operations known as PEMDAS.
Step-by-step explanation:
When looking at the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, it's important to know which operation has the highest precedence. This is key in solving mathematical problems correctly, especially when more than one operation is involved. In the standard order of operations in mathematics, multiplication and division have higher precedence than addition and subtraction. This means that they are performed first when you are working through a mathematical expression from left to right.
When solving problems that include all four operations, you often use the acronym PEMDAS to remember the order: Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division (from left to right), and Addition and Subtraction (from left to right). Since multiplication and division are on the same level of precedence, they are completed as they appear from left to right before moving on to addition or subtraction, which also share the same level of precedence and are completed from left to right.
To illustrate this, let's say we have a calculation of 2 + 3 × 4. The correct way to solve this is to perform the multiplication first: 3 × 4 = 12, and then the addition: 2 + 12 = 14.