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Year 6 · Patterns & Algebra

Order of operations

When a sum has several operations, there is a set order: Brackets, then × and ÷, then + and −.

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How to do it

  1. Do anything in brackets first.
  2. Then multiply and divide, left to right.
  3. Then add and subtract, left to right.

Worked example

3 + 4 × 2
Multiply first: 4 × 2 = 8
3 + 8 = 11

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Working left to right without the rule gives 30, which is wrong.

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