Operations Order Lab
Free Year 6 Maths practice. Choose operation order, use brackets and check related calculations. No account needed.
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Try the matching worksheet
Using Operations Order Lab
Practise deciding which operation to do first in a supplied calculation. The challenges cover first steps, mixed operations, brackets and calculation links.
How to play
- Start with Choose the first step and explain your choice before selecting an answer.
- Try Mixed operations or Use brackets when you are ready to work through more of a calculation. Calculation links revisits related facts.
- Choose Practice to work without a timer. Use the on-screen answer choices and read the result before moving on.
Make the order visible
In 18 − 3 × 4, multiply first: 3 × 4 = 12. Then subtract: 18 − 12 = 6. Doing 18 − 3 first would change the calculation.
Now compare (18 − 3) × 4. The brackets make 18 − 3 the first step, so the answer is 15 × 4 = 60. Multiplication and division share a priority. Addition and subtraction share a priority. Work from left to right within either pair.
A mistake to look out for
A memory aid is not a rule to do all multiplication before division, or all addition before subtraction. Equal-priority operations run from left to right.
After a round
Return to the lesson for a slower worked calculation, then use the worksheet to show each step. Explain why you chose that step before checking the final answer.
Learn the order of operationsTry the matching worksheet
Questions about this game
Are BODMAS and BIDMAS different rules?
They are names used for the same priority convention. The letters O and I refer to orders or indices. This game’s supplied challenges determine which operations you will actually practise.
Must I always divide before multiplying?
No. Multiplication and division share a priority; work from left to right. Addition and subtraction also share a priority.
What should I write on paper?
Show one justified step at a time. Keep the calculation equal as you rewrite it, then explain why that operation came first. The matching worksheet gives space for this.
Curriculum context
England’s Year 6 Maths programme includes using knowledge of operation order in calculations involving the four operations. The lesson and worksheet give space to explain the steps. Department for Education programme of study.
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