the last question is absolutely wrong, the answer should be 12 because -10 + 8 = -2 -2^2 = -4 8 - -4 = 12 Answer me Sal, please!

In the second step, there should be a parenthesis around the -2 (as it is the sum of -10 and +8 from the previous step). Because the negative sign is also included, -2 rather than +2 is squared. This results in +4. Here are the steps: 8 − (−10 + 8)^2 =8 - (-2)^2 =8 - 4 =4 Edit: fixed typos and added explanation.

Is there another way to say PEMDAS?( it could be another word) I really don't like the sound of it...

It's normally "Please excuse my dear Aunt Sally", even though I don't know what the aunt did. :D Hope this helped!

what if its 25^10x12(50+12)

I think you have to use a calculator. First calculate (50+12). And calculate 25^10 with your calculator. Then we only have multiplication symbols. So, just calculate from left to right with your calculator.

apparently it's now PEDMAS my teacher told me that, I'm not quite sure though. I'm just a little confused weather its PEDMAS or PEMDAS but I guess it wouldn't really matter

No its Please excuse my dear aunt sally

Does anyone else have a hard time with math

I do, I have a hard time with math.

i am canadian I do bedmas

So you probably can get the same answers as us then

Main content

6th grade

Course: 6th grade > Unit 4

Lesson 5: More on order of operations

Order of operations review

Google Classroom

The order of operations are a set of rules for how to evaluate expressions. They make sure everyone gets to the same answer. Many people memorize the order of operations as PEMDAS (parentheses, exponents, multiplication/division, and addition/subtraction).

The order of operations are one set of agreements for how to evaluate expressions. They make sure everyone gets to the same value.

$G$ ‍rouping: We evaluate what's inside grouping symbols first, before anything else. For example,

2 \times (3 + 1) = 2 \times 4 = 8

Two common types of grouping symbols are parentheses and the fraction bar.

[Show me more grouping symbols.]

$E$ ‍xponents: We evaluate exponents before multiplying, dividing, adding, or subtracting. For example,

2 \times 3^{2} = 2 \times 9 = 18

[What else happens at this step?]

$M$ ‍ultiplication and $D$ ‍ivision: We multiply and divide before we add or subtract. For example,

1 + 4 \div 2 = 1 + 2 = 3

$A$ ‍ddition and $S$ ‍ubtraction: Lastly, we add and subtract.

Many people memorize the order of operations as

G E (MD) (AS)

(pronounced as it's spelled), where the "G" is for grouping, the "E" is for exponents, and so on.

Important note: When we have more than one of the same type of operation, we work from left to right. This can matter when subtraction or division are on the left side of your expression, like

4 - 2 + 3

4 \div 2 * 3

(see example 3 below to understand why this matters).

Example 1

Evaluate $6 \times 4 + 2 \times 3$ ‍.

There are no parentheses or exponents, so we jump straight to multiplication and division.

$6 \times 4 + 2 \times 3$ ‍	‍
$= 6 \times 4 + 2 \times 3$ ‍	Multiply $6$ ‍ and $4$ ‍.
$= 24 + 2 \times 3$ ‍	Multiply $2$ ‍ and $3$ ‍.
$= 24 + 6$ ‍	Add $24$ ‍ and $6$ ‍.
$= 30$ ‍	... and we're done!

Notice: We took care of all multiplication before doing the addition. If we had done

24 + 2

before multiplying

2 \times 3

, we would have gotten the wrong answer.

Example 2

Evaluate $6^{2} - 2 (5 + 1 + 3)$ ‍.

$6^{2} - 2 (5 + 1 + 3)$ ‍	‍
$= 6^{2} - 2 (5 + 1 + 3)$ ‍	Add $5 + 1 + 3$ ‍ inside the parentheses first.
$= 6^{2} - 2 (9)$ ‍	Find $6^{2}$ ‍, which is $6 \cdot 6 = 36$ ‍.
$= 36 - 2 (9)$ ‍	Multiply $2$ ‍ and $9$ ‍.
$= 36 - 18$ ‍	Subtract $18$ ‍ from $36$ ‍.
$= 18$ ‍	... and we're done!

Example 3

Evaluate $7 - 2 + 3$ ‍.

One correct way to do this is to work from left to right.

Correct	Incorrect
$\begin{aligned} 7 - 2 + 3 \\ = & 5 + 3 \\ = & 8 \end{aligned}$ ‍	$\begin{aligned} 7 - 2 + 3 \\ = & 7 - 5 \\ = & 2 \end{aligned}$ ‍

Remember: Even though "A" comes before "S" in GE(MD)(AS), that doesn't mean we need to add before we subtract. Addition and subtraction are at the same "level" in the order of operations. The same is true of multiplication and division.

Want to learn more about order of operations? Check out this video.

Practice

Problem 1

2 + 12 \div 2 \times 3 =

Want to practice more problems like these? Check out this introductory exercise and these more challenging exercises: exercise one and exercise two.

Want to join the conversation?

Sort by:

taurus
Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to taurus's post “the last question is abso...”
the last question is absolutely wrong, the answer should be 12 because
-10 + 8 = -2
-2^2 = -4
8 - -4 = 12
Answer me Sal, please!
Button navigates to signup pageComment on taurus's post “the last question is abso...”
(50 votes)
Answer
- Phantom
  Posted 6 years ago. Direct link to Phantom's post “In the second step, there...”
  In the second step, there should be a parenthesis around the -2 (as it is the sum of -10 and +8 from the previous step). Because the negative sign is also included, -2 rather than +2 is squared. This results in +4. Here are the steps:
  8 − (−10 + 8)^2
  =8 - (-2)^2
  =8 - 4
  =4
  Edit: fixed typos and added explanation.
  Comment on Phantom's post “In the second step, there...”
  (47 votes)
Mihai Nishiike
Posted 6 years ago. Direct link to Mihai Nishiike's post “Is there another way to s...”
Is there another way to say PEMDAS?( it could be another word) I really don't like the sound of it...
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Mihai Nishiike's post “Is there another way to s...”
(26 votes)
Answer
- #EmoGirl
  Posted 3 years ago. Direct link to #EmoGirl's post “It's normally "Please exc...”
  It's normally "Please excuse my dear Aunt Sally", even though I don't know what the aunt did. :D Hope this helped!
  Comment on #EmoGirl's post “It's normally "Please exc...”
  (33 votes)
Andrea🦔🤗
Posted 3 years ago. Direct link to Andrea🦔🤗's post “A way to remember PEMDAS ...”
A way to remember PEMDAS is "Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally"
Go Aunt Sally and all her arithmatic glory!
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Andrea🦔🤗's post “A way to remember PEMDAS ...”
(33 votes)
Answer
- evan_hughes310
  Posted a year ago. Direct link to evan_hughes310's post “ACTUALLY ITS SPEMDAS. sli...”
  ACTUALLY ITS SPEMDAS. slice pizzas except my dads awesome slice. the s is for substitution in algibra
  Comment on evan_hughes310's post “ACTUALLY ITS SPEMDAS. sli...”
  (0 votes)
dana davis
Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to dana davis's post “what if its 25^10x12(50+1...”
what if its 25^10x12(50+12)
Button navigates to signup pageComment on dana davis's post “what if its 25^10x12(50+1...”
(12 votes)
Answer
- Kim
  Posted 6 years ago. Direct link to Kim's post “I think you have to use a...”
  I think you have to use a calculator.
  First calculate (50+12). And calculate 25^10 with your calculator. Then we only have multiplication symbols. So, just calculate from left to right with your calculator.
  Comment on Kim's post “I think you have to use a...”
  (14 votes)
alquijay, madison
Posted 6 years ago. Direct link to alquijay, madison's post “I don't understand when t...”
I don't understand when there is division then straight up multiplacation
Button navigates to signup pageComment on alquijay, madison's post “I don't understand when t...”
(16 votes)
Answer
- Roham Shanaser
  Posted 3 years ago. Direct link to Roham Shanaser's post “look like 20/5=? but we k...”
  look like 20/5=? but we know our multiplication so we could say 4x5=20 so the missing number is 4 and 20/5=4
  Button navigates to signup page
  (0 votes)
Abigail Ng
Posted 6 years ago. Direct link to Abigail Ng's post “What is the best way to s...”
What is the best way to solve a quotation with a exponent when the exponent is 3 or above? For example if the exponent of the number 2 is 3, should I do 2 times 2 which is 4 and then do 4 times 2 which equals 8 again? How am I suppose to do that with bigger exponents?
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Abigail Ng's post “What is the best way to s...”
(7 votes)
Answer
- Lyze Of Kiel 🟢Read bio I'm alive
  Posted 10 months ago. Direct link to Lyze Of Kiel 🟢Read bio I'm alive's post “Remember exponents are ju...”
  Remember exponents are just a simpler way of multiplication where instead of saying 2*2*2, we can say 2^3, or in word form, two to the third power, so to answer question yes you could multiply 2*2=4, and then multiply 4*2=8.
  Button navigates to signup page
  (1 vote)
Lisa Bui
Posted 3 years ago. Direct link to Lisa Bui's post “apparently it's now PEDMA...”
apparently it's now PEDMAS my teacher told me that, I'm not quite sure though. I'm just a little confused weather its PEDMAS or PEMDAS but I guess it wouldn't really matter
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Lisa Bui's post “apparently it's now PEDMA...”
(7 votes)
Answer
- dtellerico
  Posted a year ago. Direct link to dtellerico's post “No its Please excuse my d...”
  No its Please excuse my dear aunt sally
  Comment on dtellerico's post “No its Please excuse my d...”
  (6 votes)
Paris
Posted 7 months ago. Direct link to Paris 's post “Does anyone else have a h...”
Does anyone else have a hard time with math
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Paris 's post “Does anyone else have a h...”
(7 votes)
Answer
- Amea
  Posted 7 months ago. Direct link to Amea's post “I do, I have a hard time ...”
  I do, I have a hard time with math.
  Comment on Amea's post “I do, I have a hard time ...”
  (5 votes)
amendez9544
Posted 6 years ago. Direct link to amendez9544's post “: Deal with what's in the...”
: Deal with what's in the parentheses first. While working inside the parentheses, follow PEMDAS as well. So -(2^2+6)... first, I'm going to assume the "+6" is not part of the exponent. It's hard to tell with the way it is typed.
There are no more parentheses so inside the one set, we'll move to "E". 2^2 becomes 4. Now our expression looks like:
-(4+6)
There are no multiplication or division inside the parentheses so we'll move on the AS: 4+6 = 10 so now the expression looks like:
-(10…
Button navigates to signup pageComment on amendez9544's post “: Deal with what's in the...”
(8 votes)
Answer
vikash parmar
Posted 6 years ago. Direct link to vikash parmar's post “i am canadian I do bedmas”
i am canadian I do bedmas
Button navigates to signup pageComment on vikash parmar's post “i am canadian I do bedmas”
(7 votes)
Answer
- jennifer
  Posted 5 years ago. Direct link to jennifer's post “So you probably can get t...”
  So you probably can get the same answers as us then
  Comment on jennifer's post “So you probably can get t...”
  (2 votes)