How exactly does using OR in a MySQL statement differ with/without parentheses?

Question

I have this query:

SELECT * FROM (`users`) WHERE `date_next_payment` <= \'2011-02-02\' 
    AND `status` = \'active\' OR `status` = \'past due\'
         


        

Answer 1

in

SELECT * FROM (`users`) WHERE `date_next_payment` <= '2011-02-02' 
    AND `status` = 'active' OR `status` = 'past due'

it will consider first date_next_payment <= '2011-02-02' AND status = 'active' and then the boolean answer of this will be done OR with status = 'past due'

While in

SELECT * FROM (`users`) WHERE `date_next_payment` <= '2011-02-02'
    AND (`status` = 'active' OR `status` = 'past due')

First OR will be done and then And will be done... Thats y this will give the different answer