Order of Operations (PEMDAS) Flashcards

Grade 6 · Math · Flashcards

Master PEMDAS rules and vocabulary for evaluating math expressions in Grade 6.

Flashcards

PEMDAS: Order: Parentheses → Exponents → Multiply/Divide (L to R) → Add/Subtract (L to R)
Why order of operations matters: Without rules, 2+3×4 could equal 20 or 14 — PEMDAS ensures everyone gets 14
P — Parentheses (or brackets): Work inside ( ) or [ ] first — if nested, work innermost to outermost
E — Exponents: Evaluate powers and roots second — e.g. 5² = 25
M and D — equal priority: Multiply and divide left to right — not always multiply first
A and S — equal priority: Add and subtract left to right — not always add first
5 + 3 × 4 = ?: 17 — multiply first: 3×4=12, then add 5
12 ÷ 4 × 3 = ?: 9 — left to right: 12÷4=3, then 3×3=9 (not 1!)
10 − 3 + 4 = ?: 11 — left to right: 10−3=7, then 7+4=11 (not 3!)
(2 + 3)² = ?: 25 — parentheses first: 2+3=5, then exponent: 5²=25
BEDMAS: Canadian equivalent of PEMDAS — same rules, Brackets/Exponents/Division/Multiplication/Add/Sub
Common PEMDAS mistake: Doing addition before multiplication — always multiply/divide before adding/subtracting