Year 7 · Mathematics
Order of operations (BIDMAS) for Year 7: which part do I do first?
When a calculation has more than one operation, everyone needs to do the steps in the same order to get the same answer. In Australia this order is often remembered as BIDMAS (or BODMAS).
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Try asking: “Explain the order of operations”
The order
- Brackets first.
- Indices (powers and square roots).
- Division and Multiplication — whichever comes first, working left to right.
- Addition and Subtraction — whichever comes first, working left to right.
Left to right matters
Division and multiplication have equal priority, so work left to right: 20 ÷ 4 × 5 = 25. The same applies to addition and subtraction.
Worked examples
What is 3 + 4 × 5?
- Multiplication before addition: 4 × 5 = 20.
- Then add: 3 + 20 = 23.
Answer: 23
What is (3 + 4) × 5?
- Brackets first: 3 + 4 = 7.
- Then multiply: 7 × 5 = 35.
Answer: 35
What is 2 × 3² + 1?
- Indices first: 3² = 9.
- Multiply: 2 × 9 = 18.
- Add: 18 + 1 = 19.
Answer: 19
Common mistakes to watch for
- Working strictly left to right through every operation — for 3 + 4 × 5 that gives 35, which is not the right answer.
- Always doing multiplication before division, instead of whichever comes first.
Practice questions
Try these, then reveal the answers. For more questions with hints, use the tutor.
1. What is 6 + 2 × 3?
Show answer
12
2. What is (6 + 2) × 3?
Show answer
24
3. What is 40 − 8 ÷ 4?
Show answer
38
4. What is 5 + 3²?
Show answer
14
5. What is 12 ÷ 3 × 2?
Show answer
8