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Order of Operations

The order of operations, known by the acronym BODMAS, provides rules for the sequence of calculations in mathematical expressions: 1) Calculate anything inside brackets first. 2) Perform exponents (powers, square roots) next. 3) Multiply and divide from left to right. 4) Add and subtract from left to right. 5) Follow the order from left to right if no other rules apply.

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290 views3 pages

Order of Operations

The order of operations, known by the acronym BODMAS, provides rules for the sequence of calculations in mathematical expressions: 1) Calculate anything inside brackets first. 2) Perform exponents (powers, square roots) next. 3) Multiply and divide from left to right. 4) Add and subtract from left to right. 5) Follow the order from left to right if no other rules apply.

Uploaded by

maszam3
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Order of Operations - BODMAS

Operations
"Operations" mean things like add, subtract, multiply, divide, squaring, etc. If it isn't a number
it is probably an operation.

But, when you see something like...

7 + (6 × 52 + 3)

... what part should you calculate first?

Start at the left and go to the right?


Or go from right to left?

Calculate them in the wrong order, and you will get a wrong answer !

So, long ago people agreed to always follow certain rules when doing calculations, and they are:

Order of Operations
Do things in Brackets First. Example:

  6 × (5 + 3) = 6×8 = 48  
  6 × (5 + 3) = 30 + 3 = 33 (wrong)

Exponents (Powers, Roots) before Multiply, Divide, Add or Subtract. Example:

  5 × 22 = 5×4 = 20  
2 2
  5×2 = 10 = 100 (wrong)

Multiply or Divide before you Add or Subtract. Example:

  2+5×3 = 2 + 15 = 17  
  2+5×3 = 7×3 = 21 (wrong)

Otherwise just go left to right. Example:

  30 ÷ 5 × 3 = 6×3 = 18  
  30 ÷ 5 × 3 = 30 ÷ 15 = 2 (wrong)
How Do I Remember ? BODMAS !
 
B Brackets first
O Orders (ie Powers and Square Roots, etc.)
DM Division and Multiplication (left-to-right)
AS Addition and Subtraction (left-to-right)

The only strange name is "Orders". "Exponents" is used in Canada, and so you might prefer
"BEDMAS". There is also "Indices" so that makes it "BIDMAS". In the US they say
"Parenthesis" instead of Brackets, so they say "PEMDAS"

Divide and Multiply rank equally (and go left to right).

Add and Subtract rank equally (and go left to right)

After you have done "B" and "O", just go from left
to right doing any "D" or "M" as you find them.
 
Then go from left to right doing any "A" or "S" as
you find them.

Examples
Example: How do you work out 3 + 6 × 2 ?

Multiplication before Addition:

First 6 × 2 = 12, then 3 + 12 = 15

Example: How do you work out (3 + 6) × 2 ?

Brackets first:

First (3 + 6) = 9, then 9 × 2 = 18

Example: How do you work out 12 / 6 × 3 ?

Division and Multiplication rank equally, so just go left to right:


First 12 / 6 = 2, then 2 × 3 = 6

Oh, yes, and what about 7 + (6 × 52 + 3) ?

7 + (6 × 52 + 3)  
7 + (6 × 25 + 3) Start inside Brackets, and then use "Orders" First
7 + (150 + 3) Then Multiply
7 + (153) Then Add
7 + 153 Brackets completed, last operation is add
160 DONE !

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