Equations_with_Wooden_man.jpgBEDMAS is a word to help you to remember what to do first in a calculation involving more than one operation.

BEDMAS means:

 

Brackets:

Work out the value of any expressions inside brackets.

Exponents:

Work out the value of any numbers or expressions with exponents or indices.

Sometimes shown as 'of ' meaning multiply.

Division

Multiplication

If these two operations occur together, work from left to right.

Addition

Subtraction

If these two operations occur together, work from left to right.

 

Examples
Answers

Calculate:

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a. 3 + 4 × 5

a. 3 + 4 × 5 = 3 + 20 = 23

b. 4 + (6 − 2)

b. 4 + (6 − 2) = 4 + 4 = 8

c. 13 − 2 × 5 + 4

c. 13 − 2 × 5 + 4 = 13 − 10 + 4 = 7

d. 3 × 6 2

d. 3 × 6 2 = 3 × 36 = 108

Care should be taken when using a calculator to do calculations of this type.