You may come across a simple maths questions with a mixture of brackets, orders (powers), division, multiplication, addition and subtraction all at once. You may think to yourself where do I start, this is where BODMAS is a useful acronym to use. BODMAS provides us with the order the mathematical operations need to be carried out.
This tutorial will illustrate how to apply the order of operation using BODMAS to an equation.
Order of Operation
- Brackets
- Orders/Power
- Division
- Multiplication
- Addition
- Subtraction
Example
45 – 2 (25 + 16 ÷ 4 x 3 – 5 x 5) + 8 =
Solution
Step 1 – Brackets
First, we will apply BODMAS within the brackets
45 – 2 (25 + 16 ÷ 4 x 3 – 5 x 5) + 8
Step 2 – Orders/ Power
There are no powers or square root (√) in this question therefore this step is n/a
Step 3 – Division
45 – 2 (25 + 16 ÷ 4 x 3 – 5 x 5) + 8
45 – 2 (25 + 4 x 3 – 5 x 5) + 8
Step 4 – Multiplication
45 – 2 (25 + 4 x 3 – 5 x 5) + 8
45 – 2 (25 + 12 – 25) + 8
Step 5 – Addition
45 – 2 (25 + 12 – 25) + 8
45 – 2 (37 – 25) + 8
Step 6 – Subtraction
45 – 2 (37 – 25) + 8
45 – 2 (12) + 8
Once Step 6 has been Completed inside the bracket, we need to follow BODMAS again for the rest of the equation.
Step 1 – Brackets
The bracket no longer has a function within it so we can remove it as follows
45 – 2 x 12 + 8
Step 2 – Orders/ Power
There are no powers or routes in this question therefore this step is n/a
Step 3 – Division
There are division in this equation therefore this step is n/an
Step 4 – Multiplication
45 – 2 x 12 + 8
45 – 24 + 8
Step 5 – Addition
45 – 24 + 8
45 – 24 + 8
Step 6 – Subtraction
45 – 16
29
Answer
29
Note: There are many ways to calculate the answer to this question incorrectly, but if you follow BODMAS you will never go wrong.
What I recall from my schooldays is that O stood for “of” & not Power/Indices. Please check if that is correct.
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Yes you are correct, of is used as well but it still means orders (indices). In my school days it was ‘other’. BIDMAS is also another acronym that is used.
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Reblogged this on uwerolandgross.
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Thanks. Fear of going wrong has made maths a major problem
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Nice! It is a good refresher for my old brain.
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Correct answer. However I think you could clarify the final steps a little bit. I was taught that Division/Multiplication are done together as one step, as are Addition/ Subtraction.
Subtraction is really just adding a negative number. If we take them as two steps it’s very easy to ignore the minus sign in the next to last step and add 24+8= 32 before we subtract from 45, giving an incorrect answer of 13.
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We called it BEDMAS, with E for Exponents.
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Your blog was really amazing!! I’m damn sure you will reach great heights.
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Reblogged this on ccmanny.
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That brings back memories! We used to be told to use BODMAS at primary school, over 35 years ago!
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