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Year 6 · Maths · Four operations · Lesson 4

Order of operations

Use the order of operations (BIDMAS), including brackets and powers, to calculate and to insert brackets.

Whiteboard video lesson: Order of operations

17-minute video lesson

Teaching, worked examples and 20 practice questions solved step by step.

Watch free for a month

What your child will learn

  • Know BIDMAS
  • Calculate with brackets
  • Handle × and ÷ left to right
  • Insert brackets to make statements true
  • Spot errors

The method

  1. Brackets first.
  2. Then powers.
  3. Then × and ÷, left to right.
  4. Then + and −, left to right.

Key words: order of operations, BIDMAS, brackets, indices, operation.

Worked examples

The first three practice questions from the lesson, with every step.

Question 1

Work out 5 + 2 × 3

  1. Step 1: = 5 + 6
  2. Step 2: = 11

Answer: 11

Question 2

Work out 10 − 4 × 2

  1. Step 1: = 10 − 8
  2. Step 2: = 2

Answer: 2

Question 3

Work out (5 + 2) × 3

  1. Step 1: = 7 × 3
  2. Step 2: = 21

Answer: 21