Orders of Operation
By:
Rachel Nguyen
Melinda Sinata
Kelley Dallas
(Also known as… PEMDAS)
• Please (parentheses)
• Excuse (Exponets)
• My Dear
(Multiplication/Divide)
• Aunt Sally
(Add/Subtract)
• Most tutees can evaluate a simple
expression like 6 + (5 x 4) ÷ 2 but
mistakes are often made when it
comes to the order of operations.
The tutee knows that the
parentheses are there for a reason
but may be unsure as to what their
significance really is.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Calculations in parentheses are done first.
When you have more than one set of
brackets, do the inner brackets first.
Exponents (or radicals) must be done
next.
Multiply and divide in the order the
operations occur.
Add and subtract in the order the
operations occur.
Calculations must be done from left to
right.
• Simplify inside groupings of
parentheses, brackets and braces first.
Work with the innermost pair, moving
outward.
• Simplify the exponents.
• Do the multiplication and division in
order from left to right.
• Do the addition and subtraction in order
from left to right.
(Parentheses)
• Innermost, first
• Example 1:
6 × (5 + 3) = 30 + 3 = 33 (wrong)
6 × (5 + 3) = 6 × 8 = 48 (true)
(exponents)
• Powers or roots
• Before Multiply, Divide, Add or Subtract.
• Example 2:
5 × 22 = 102 = 100 (wrong)
5 × 22 = 5 × 4 = 20 (true)
(Multiplication
Or Divide)
• From left to right
• Multiply or Divide before you Add or
Subtract
• Example 3: Evaluate
2 + 5 × 3 = 7 × 3 = 21
2 + 5 × 3 = 2 + 15 = 17
(Add or
Subtract)
• From left to right
• Example 4:
30 - 5 + 3 = 30 + 3 = 33
30 - 5 + 3 = 25 + 3 = 28
Evaluate using the order of operations:
150 ÷ (6 + 3 x 8) 2 – 5
150 ÷ (6+24) 2 – 5
150 ÷ (30) 2 – 5
150 ÷ 900 – 5 = 150/900 -5 = 1/6 -5
= 1-30/6 = -29/6 
(PEMDAS)
(Parentheses, Exponents, Multiply, Divide, Add, Subtract)
• Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally
• Pandas Eat: Mustard on Dumplings, and
Apples with Spice.
• Please Execute My Deadly Anteater Silently
• Pink Elephants Destroy Mice And Snails
• Pirates Eat Marshmallows During All Sails