In the sequence of operations, which comes after parentheses?

The order of operations is a set of rules that determines the sequence in which calculations are performed in a mathematical expression to ensure consistent results. This order is often remembered by the acronym PEMDAS, which stands for Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division (from left to right), and Addition and Subtraction (from left to right).

In the context of this question, after resolving any calculations within parentheses in an expression, the next step is to handle exponents. Exponents represent a number raised to a power, and they are evaluated right after parentheses according to the order of operations. Therefore, the correct answer is indeed the evaluation of exponents that follows after working with parentheses.