Student resources
Grades 5-8
Order of Operations Guide for Students
The order of operations keeps math expressions consistent. Without it, the same expression could lead to different answers.
Key ideas
- Work inside parentheses first.
- Then evaluate exponents.
- Multiply and divide from left to right.
- Add and subtract from left to right.
Order of Operations
| Step | Operation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Parentheses | (4 + 2) |
| 2 | Exponents | 3^2 |
| 3 | Multiplication and division | 6 x 5 or 20 / 4 |
| 4 | Addition and subtraction | 10 + 2 or 12 - 7 |
Practice questions
Evaluate 3 + 4 x 2.
Calculation: Multiply first: 4 x 2 = 8, then 3 + 8 = 11
Answer: 11
Evaluate (3 + 4) x 2.
Calculation: Parentheses first: 3 + 4 = 7, then 7 x 2 = 14
Answer: 14
Evaluate 18 / 3 + 5.
Calculation: Divide first: 18 / 3 = 6, then 6 + 5 = 11
Answer: 11
Evaluate 2^3 + 4.
Calculation: Exponent first: 2^3 = 8, then 8 + 4 = 12
Answer: 12