[kybernetikos]

The way I've heard those distinguished in spoken math is x + b^2 is said "x plus b squared" and (x + b)^2 is said "x plus b all squared. There's a similar approach for divide "x plus b over 8" vs "x plus b all over 8". That was often enough but if it wasn't you'd be reduced to pronouncing brackets.

[Sharlin]

Using postfix operations in the Way of Forth would be unambiguous and of course otherwise superior as well as is well known [citation needed]. “x b plus squared” vs “x b squared plus”. Well, at least as long as it’s agreed on whether “x b” means two variables or one with a two-letter name. But the latter don’t really exist in math. You just expand to new alphabets when you run out of letters.