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What you will learn from this videoWhat you will learn
- Groupings include parentheses, brackets and braces. Always solve what is inside them first.
- Then multiply/divide left to right before adding/subtracting left to right.
- Following the order of operations allows everyone to get the same correct answer.
- Discussion Questions
Before Video
If you are going to add 3, 7 and 5 together, does the order you add them in matter? Why or why not?ANSWERI can add 3 and 7 to make 10 then 5 to make 15. Or I can add 7 and 5 to make 12 then 3 to make 15. The order does not matter.
The order does matter. (3 + 2) x 4 = 5 x 4 = 20 and 3 + (2 x 4) = 3 + 8 = 11.
4 + 2 x 5
Sample answer: Scientists need to evaluate expressions to calculate important numbers. If two scientists do the same calculation, they need to get the same answer.
Sample answer: I multiply and divide first. If there is more than one multiplication or division I calculate left to right. Then I add or subtract, left to right.
After Video
Do you get the same value when you evaluate (5 – 2) – 1 and 5 – (2 – 1)? Explain.ANSWER(5 – 2) – 1 = 2 and 5 – (2 – 1) = 4. You do not get the same value. In the first example, you subtract 2 from 5 first and then subtract 1. In the second example, you subtract 1 from 2 and then you subtract that answer from 5. This results in different answers for the two expressions.
Add 6 + 2 to get 8. Subtract 3 from 8 to get 5. Multiply 5 x 8 to get 40.
ANSWER(5 + 3) x (15 – 13)
(1/8 + 5/8) + (3 x 2)
ANSWER6 6/8 or 6 3/4
Marina has 65 toy cars to sell. 15 are yellow, 30 are green, and the rest are red. How many of Marina's toy cars are red?
ANSWER65 – (15 + 30)
- Vocabulary
- Order of Operations DEFINE
The order of operations is a set of rules for deciding in what order to perform the operations when evaluating an expression.
Work within parentheses first.
Then do multiplication working from left to right.
Then do addition and subtraction working from left to right. - Parentheses DEFINE
Parentheses are used to show grouping in an expression.
- Brackets DEFINE
Brackets are used to show grouping in an expression.
- Expression DEFINE
An expression is a mathematical sentence with numbers, variables, and/or operations.
- Operation DEFINE
The operations are addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
- Evaluate DEFINE
When you evaluate a numeric expression, you are applying the operations (in the correct order) to find the result.
- Order of Operations DEFINE
- Reading Material
- Practice Word Problems
- Practice Number Problems
- Lesson Plan
- Teacher Guide