Order of Operations

In Order of Operations topic, 6th Grade students will learn to evaluate expressions correctly by following a consistent set of rules. Students practice working with parentheses, exponents, multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction. They learn that order matters and two people should get the same answer when they follow the rules. Students also learn to write expressions from word phrases and add parentheses to match meaning. This topic supports algebra readiness and accurate computation.

What Children Learn

Students learn the standard order of operations and practice applying it step by step. They learn that multiplication and division have the same priority and are done left to right. They learn that addition and subtraction also share priority and are done left to right. Students practice evaluating expressions with more than one set of parentheses. They learn to avoid common mistakes, such as always multiplying before dividing even when division comes first. Students also practice writing expressions from stories, like total cost with tax or points with bonuses. Students check answers by estimating and by using a second method like simplifying in a different order that still follows the rules.

Sample Questions Children Practice

1. Multiple choice Evaluate 18 minus 6 times 2 plus 5

A. 5

B. 11

C. 15

D. 29

2. Fill in the blank Evaluate 48 divided by 6 times 4 equals blank

3. Add parentheses to make this statement true 10 plus 6 times 3 equals 48. Write one correct parenthesis placement

4. Multiple choice Evaluate 3 squared plus 4 times 5

A. 29

B. 55

C. 109

D. 35

5. Reasoning check Two students got different answers for 72 divided by 9 times 3. What rule should they use to decide the correct answer

Why This Topic Matters

Order of operations prevents confusion and helps everyone get the same correct answer. It supports algebra because expressions must be evaluated consistently. Students also learn to use parentheses to show meaning, which is important in formulas and coding. This topic reduces calculation errors in multi step problems. Strong order skills help students feel confident with more complex expressions later.