Order of Operations — 5th Grade Lesson
Students will evaluate expressions with parentheses, exponents, and all four operations in the correct order.
5th Grade · Order of Operations · ~25 min lesson
What is the order of operations?
The order of operations is the rule for which math operation to do first, so everyone gets the same answer.
PEMDAS
| Letter | Operation |
|---|---|
| P | Parentheses first |
| E | Exponents |
| MD | Multiplication and Division (left to right) |
| AS | Addition and Subtraction (left to right) |
Parentheses first
Do whatever is inside the parentheses before anything else.
(3 + 4) × 2 = 7 × 2 = 14 (but 3 + 4 × 2 = 3 + 8 = 11)
Exponents next
2 × 3^2 = 2 × 9 = 18 (not 6²)
Multiplication and division: left to right
Multiplication and division are equal — do whichever comes first, left to right.
12 ÷ 4 × 3 = 3 × 3 = 9 (not 12 ÷ 12)
Addition and subtraction: left to right
Same idea — do whichever comes first.
10 - 3 + 2 = 7 + 2 = 9 (not 10 - 5)
One combined example
(8 - 2) + 5 × 1
- Parentheses: 8 - 2 = 6
- Multiplication: 5 × 1 = 5
- Addition: 6 + 5 = 11
How to practice at home
- Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally — a favorite PEMDAS mnemonic.
- Work top to bottom: write each step on its own line.
- Build expressions with a deck of cards and evaluate them.
- Check with a calculator that understands order of operations.
Practice with the exercises above, then download these free printable worksheets:
Practice Exercises
Try these on your own, then reveal the answer to check.
What is 3 + 4 × 2?
💡 Multiply first: 4 × 2 = 8, then 3 + 8 = 11.
What is (3 + 4) × 2?
💡 Parentheses first: 7 × 2 = 14.
What is 10 - 2 × 3?
💡 Multiply first: 2 × 3 = 6, then 10 - 6 = 4.
What is 2 × 3^2?
💡 Exponents first: 3² = 9, then 2 × 9 = 18.
What is 12 ÷ 4 × 3?
💡 Multiplication and division go left to right: 3 × 3 = 9.
What is (8 - 2) + 5 × 1?
💡 Parentheses: 6, then 5 × 1 = 5, then 6 + 5 = 11.
Printable Worksheets
Put this lesson into practice with free, printable worksheets — each with an answer key.
Before You Start
- All four operations with whole numbers
- Exponents basics
Common Mistakes to Watch For
- Working left to right without respecting the order
- Forgetting that multiplication and division (and addition and subtraction) are done left to right in pairs
What to Learn Next
Browse more Order of Operations worksheets or explore all 5th Grade worksheets.
Related Worksheets
Order of Operations Worksheet
Evaluate each expression in the correct order: parentheses first, then multiply and divide, then add and subtract.
Order of Operations: All Four Operations Worksheet
Evaluate expressions that combine all four operations with parentheses, one careful step at a time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the order of operations?
A rule that says which math operation to do first: Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division (left to right), then Addition and Subtraction (left to right) — remembered as PEMDAS.
Why does the order of operations matter?
Without it, different people would get different answers to the same expression. 3 + 4 × 2 is 11, not 14 — multiplying before adding is the rule.
Original & reviewed. Every worksheet is created in-house from a grade-level skill brief, checked for a correct answer key, and reviewed for grade-appropriateness. Our editorial policy.