Re: Multiple Conditions on a DOW loop

["James H. H. Lampert" <jamesl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Scott Klement wrote:
> The question isn't whether algebra predates HLLs!
>
> The question is whether the "Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally" rule 
> predates the HLLs.  I tend to agree with JHHL.  When I took computer 
> courses in school they told us that the PEMDAS rule was only for 
> computers.  Later, they adopted it in algebra as well.

And yet according to Wikipedia, it appears to have existed for 
centuries; perhaps it just wasn't universal.

Then, too, consider that in standard algebra, implicit multiplication 
signs are used far more frequently than explicit, and horizontal 
fraction bars are used far more frequently than any form of division 
sign; both of those conventions have their own implications for 
precedence. Likewise, the use of ** or ^ as exponentiation signs is an 
artifact of the inherent inability to superscript an exponent (or form a 
radical sign) in the overwhelming majority of the ways in which we write 
source code.

--
JHHL