How_To_Be_Good_At_Math

CALCULATING • THE ORDER OF OPERATIONS 153

BODMAS stands for:

Brackets

Orders

Division

Multiplication

Addition

Subtraction

Now we can work from left to right and

work out the addition and subtraction

calculations one by one. Subtracting 5 from 17

gives 12. Finally, we add 36 to 12 to give 48.

So, 17 − (4 + 6) ÷ 2 + 36 = 48

There are no orders in this calculation,

so we divide next: 10 ÷ 2 = 5. So, now we

can write the calculation as: 17 − 5 + 36

17 − (4 + 6) ÷ 2 + 36 = 48

Follow the order

Now it's up to you.

Use the order of

operations and see

if you can work out

the correct answers

to these calculations.

12 + 16 ÷ 4 + (3 × 7) =?

4² − 5 − (12 ÷ 4) + 9 =?

6 × 9 + 13 − 22 ÷ 11 =?

TRY IT OUT

Answers on page 319

17 − (4 + 6) ÷ 2 + 36 =?

Using BODMAS

If you can remember BODMAS, even

calculations that look really tough are

straightforward.

We know that we need to work out the

brackets first, so we need to add 4 and 6,

which equals 10. We can now write the

calculation as: 17 − 10 ÷ 2 + 36

17 − 10 ÷ 2 + 36 =?

17 − 5 + 36 =?

Let's give this tricky calculation a go.

12 + 36 = 48

152-153_Order_of_Operations.indd 153 11/03/2016 16:24