Five expression types
No brackets, brackets, nested brackets, powers and roots, and negative numbers.
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Teaching Guide: the Order of Operations
Expressions with several operations are always worked out in the same order of operations (BODMAS or PEMDAS): brackets first, from the inside out, then powers and roots, then multiplication and division from left to right, and finally addition and subtraction from left to right. This free generator creates A4 worksheets for Grades 5 to 8 with always exact results and an answer key that does one operation per line.
Exact results
Every division is exact and, outside the negative numbers type, no step gives a negative number, so pupils practise the order without getting stuck.
One operation per line
The answer key underlines the operation to do next and shows the result in red, so pupils see why each step comes when it does.
Order reminder
Each sheet can carry a strip with the order of operations, matched to what is on the page.
Multiplication sign
Choose the times sign (×) or the dot (·); division is written with ÷.
Always new expressions
The “New” button creates fresh expressions with the same settings, never repeating one within an exercise: great for homework, practice and tests.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Order of Operations
What is the order of operations?
Brackets first, starting with the innermost; then powers and roots; then multiplication and division, from left to right; and finally addition and subtraction, also from left to right. BODMAS and PEMDAS are two ways of remembering it.
Why are multiplication and division done from left to right?
Because they have the same priority: in 24 ÷ 4 × 2 you divide first (6) and then multiply (12). Multiplying first would give 3, which is wrong. The same goes for addition and subtraction: 10 − 4 + 2 = 8.
Which grades is this worksheet for?
Grades 5 to 8. No brackets and brackets in Grades 5 and 6; nested brackets, powers and roots in Grades 6 and 7; and negative numbers in Grades 7 and 8.
Can the answers be decimals or negative numbers?
No. Every division is exact and every step gives a whole number; only the With negative numbers type has negative numbers, also with exact results.
What if pupils are not yet confident with written methods?
Practise them first with the Math Operations Worksheet Generator, on squared paper with a step-by-step answer key.
How do I print only the answer key?
Click “Print” and choose “Answer key”; “Worksheet and answer key” prints both in one go. You can check it first in the Answer key view at the top.
Is any student data sent to a server?
No. Every expression is created in your browser and no student data is stored. Templates are kept in your browser’s memory.
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