6th Grade Math Textbook, Progress

Order of Operations

4-1

Frances has 215 apples in each of two crates.

Three other crates have 150 apples each. How

many apples does Frances have in all?

To find how many in all, compute:

2 
 215  3 
150.

Frances computes as follows:

Number of apples  2 
 215  3 
 150

 430  450

 880

Frances has 880 apples in all.

Compute: (42 7) 
 3  4  2  102

Study these examples.

( 42  7 )
 3  4  2  102

6 
 3  4  2  102

6 
 3  4  2  100

18  2  100

16  100

116

5.9

23.6

4

25 1.4

4

52 1.4

4

Grouping symbols include:


parentheses 12 ( 6  2 ) 4


brackets [ 7  2 ] 3  3


fraction bars^16  24 ^2 ^142  7

48 ( 3  1 )^3

48  23

48  8

40

0.4 
 103

0.4 
 1000

400

When a mathematical expression

contains more than one operation,

mathematicians have agreed to follow

these order of operations rules:

First compute operations within

grouping symbols.


Next simplify numbers with exponents.

Then multiplyor dividefrom left to right.

Last addor subtractfrom left to right.

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