IXL | Identify mistakes involving the order of operations

Joey tried to evaluate an expression. Here is his work:

–

Step 1

–

125

Step 1

Step 2

–

Step 2

Step 3

–

Step 3

Step 4

–

Step 4

Step 5

–

Step 5

Step 6

Is Joey's work correct?

No, Joey made a mistake going from the given expression to Step 1. Joey should have multiplied 2 and 3 instead of evaluating exponents. The order of operations says to multiply before you evaluate exponents.

No, Joey made a mistake going from Step 4 to Step 5. Joey should have subtracted 3 from 97 before adding. The order of operations says to add and subtract from left to right.

Yes, Joey's work is correct.

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Learn with an example

question

Sophie tried to evaluate an expression. Here is her work:

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

175

Step 5

Is Sophie's work correct?

No, Sophie made a mistake going from Step 1 to Step 2. Sophie should have multiplied 9 and 2 before dividing. The order of operations says to multiply before you divide.

No, Sophie made a mistake going from Step 3 to Step 4. Sophie should have multiplied 7 and 6 before adding. The order of operations says to multiply before you add.

Yes, Sophie's work is correct.

key idea

To evaluate an expression with multiple operations, you can follow the order of

operations:

Perform operations inside parentheses and brackets. Start with the operations in the inner parentheses or brackets, evaluating the expression from the inside out.
Evaluate the exponents.
Multiply and divide from left to right.
Add and subtract from left to right.

solution

Sophie made a mistake going from Step 3 to Step 4. She added before multiplying.

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

The order of operations says to multiply before adding. Here is the work that Sophie should have done.

Evaluate the exponents

Divide

Multiply 9 and 2

Multiply

Add

Looking for more? Try these:

Lesson: Order of operations

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Teacher tools

Work it out

Not feeling ready yet? These can help:

E.7Evaluate numerical expressions involving whole numbers

H.6Identify mistakes involving the order of operations

Lesson: Order of operations

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