PEMDAS Quiz: Test Your Order of Operations Skills
This PEMDAS quiz lets you practice the order of operations and check your steps on mixed problems. Use it to build speed, spot common mistakes, and prepare for class or tests. For more practice, try our order of operations quiz, a tougher pemdas practice quiz, or a fun pemdas puzzle.
Study Outcomes
- Understand the BIDMAS mnemonic -
Gain a clear grasp of each step in the BIDMAS order of operations - including brackets, indices, division, multiplication, addition, and subtraction - and why sequence matters.
- Apply BIDMAS rules -
Use the correct order of operations to work through arithmetic expressions accurately and avoid common calculation errors.
- Solve order of operations questions -
Apply BIDMAS rules to confidently work through order of operations questions, from simple to more complex expressions.
- Analyze complex expressions -
Break down advanced arithmetic expressions to identify the correct sequence of operations and ensure precise calculations.
- Enhance calculation speed and accuracy -
Build fluency in arithmetic operations by practicing BIDMAS-based exercises, improving both speed and precision.
- Identify areas for further practice -
Use quiz results to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses in your BIDMAS understanding and focus on targeted BIDMAS practice.
Cheat Sheet
- BIDMAS Hierarchy -
The BIDMAS sequence (Brackets, Indices, Division & Multiplication, Addition & Subtraction) forms the foundation for solving complex expressions, as endorsed by the UK National Curriculum and resources like BBC Bitesize. Remember the mnemonic "BIDMAS" to order your steps correctly. For example, 3 + 2 × (6 − 4)² = 3 + 2 × 2² = 3 + 2 × 4 = 11, a classic bimdas question.
- Working with Nested Brackets -
Always tackle the innermost brackets first, then move outward - this is crucial in BIDMAS practice and order of operations questions. For instance, in 5 + [3 × (2 + 1)] you solve (2 + 1) to get 5 + [3 × 3] = 5 + 9 = 14. Mastering nested brackets reduces errors on arithmetic operations quizzes.
- Left-to-Right Rule for Multiplication & Division -
Multiplication and division share the same precedence, so perform them from left to right. In the expression 16 ÷ 4 × 2, calculate 16 ÷ 4 first (giving 4) then multiply by 2 to get 8. This principle appears frequently in both PEMDAS quizzes and bimdas questions.
- Indices before Multiplication -
Exponents (indices) must be evaluated before multiplication or division, a tip emphasized in Khan Academy's order of operations lessons. For example, 2 × 3² = 2 × 9 = 18, not 36. Practicing this step in an arithmetic operations quiz or PEMDAS quiz cements the concept.
- Self-Check & Estimation Tricks -
After solving an expression, use quick estimation or reverse operations to verify your answer, a strategy recommended by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). Rounding numbers or performing the inverse operation can catch mistakes - for example, if you got 14 for 5 + 9, subtracting 9 from 14 should return 5. Regularly incorporating this review step boosts accuracy in all bimdas questions.