Order of operations trainer
Practice applying the rules for the order of operations (PEMDAS/BODMAS): multiplication and division are always calculated before addition and subtraction. A random expression is generated, and you have to find the correct result.
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How it works
The order of operations, often summarized by the acronym PEMDAS (Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication/Division, Addition/Subtraction), requires calculating multiplications and divisions first, then additions and subtractions, handling operations of the same priority from left to right.
Why doesn't 3 + 4 × 2 equal 14?
Because multiplication takes priority over addition: you first calculate 4 × 2 = 8, then add 3, giving 11. If you wanted to add first, you would need to write (3 + 4) × 2 with explicit parentheses.
What if there are several multiplications or divisions in a row?
When several operations of the same priority follow each other, they are calculated in order, from left to right. For example, 20 ÷ 4 × 2 is calculated as 20 ÷ 4 = 5 first, then 5 × 2 = 10, not the other way around.
Expressions are generated and evaluated locally in your browser; no answer is recorded or transmitted.