Which operation would you perform first when using the order of operations?"

The correct choice highlights the importance of following the order of operations, often remembered by the acronym PEMDAS (Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division (from left to right), Addition and Subtraction (from left to right)). When performing operations in mathematical expressions, multiplication and division are prioritized over addition and subtraction, but both multiplication and division are handled equally based on their order from left to right.

This means that if you encounter both multiplication and division in an expression, you will process them in the order they appear moving from left to right. This approach ensures that calculations are consistent and that everyone arrives at the same result when evaluating expressions. Thus, performing multiplication and division first sets a solid foundation for accurately resolving the final result, allowing addition and subtraction to follow afterward. The focus on both operations being executed simultaneously, but in order of appearance, is crucial for clarity and correctness in solving mathematical problems.