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Using BIDMAS: Order of Operations in Calculations

In this worksheet, students must pay attention to the order of priority in carrying out mixed operations.

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'Using BIDMAS: Order of Operations in Calculations' worksheet

Key stage:  KS 2

Year:  Year 5 11+ worksheets

Curriculum topic:   Maths and Numerical Reasoning

Curriculum subtopic:   Mixed Problems

Difficulty level:  

Worksheet Overview

When you are working something out that involves more than one operation, the order in which they are carried out matters.

 

The agreed order is:

Brackets
Powers or Indices
Division and Multiplication
Addition and Subtraction

 

This can be remembered using the word:  BIDMAS

However, remember that multiplication and division are equally important, so in a calculation just involving multiplication and division, you carry this out from left to right.

Similarly with addition and subtraction.



Examples

6 + 9 ÷ 3 = 6 + 3 = 9 (divide first)

 

(6 + 9) ÷ 3 = 15 ÷ 3 = 5 (brackets first)

 

15 - 4 × 2 = 15 - 8 = 7 (multiply first)

 

(15 - 4) × 2 = 11 × 2 = 22 (brackets first)

 

4 × 32 = 4 × 9 = 36 (power first)

 

(4 × 3)2 = 122 = 144 (brackets first)

 

14 - 4 + 5 = 15 (equally important, so left to right)

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