Question 1208477
how to evaluate 7 to the power of 2 - 3 to the power of 2 + 4
<pre>
I think the student didn't know that the caret " ^ " is used for exponents,
and wrote the words "to the power of" in place of carets.

To the student: A caret " ^ " is used for an exponent because it points
up to where the exponent should be, but the keyboard can't put it up there.

Anyway, I don't see why the "PEMDAS"-rule shouldn't be assumed to be followed
whether a problem is written in English words or mathematical symbols.
It's written the way somebody would vocalize it, as if they were speaking
it to somebody, say, on a cell phone.

So I see nothing wrong with the wording.  It is equivalent to this:

{{{7^2-3^2+4}}}

{{{49-9+4}}}

{{{44}}}

Edwin</pre>