1.

Adding Rules:

Positive + Positive = Positive: 5 + 4 = 9

Negative + Negative = Negative: (- 7) + (- 2) = - 9

Sum of a negative and a positive number: Use the sign of the larger number and
subtract

(- 7) + 4 = -3
6 + (-9) = - 3
(- 3) + 7 = 4
5 + ( -3) = 2

2. Subtracting Rules:

Negative - Positive = Negative: (- 5) - 3 = -5 + (-3) = -8

Positive - Negative = Positive + Positive = Positive: 5 - (-3) = 5 + 3 = 8
Negative - Negative = Negative + Positive = Use the sign of the larger number
and subtract (Change double negatives to a positive)
(-5) - (-3) = ( -5) + 3 = -2
(-3) - ( -5) = (-3) + 5 = 2

3. Multiplying Rules:

Positive x Positive = Positive: 3 x 2 = 6

Negative x Negative = Positive: (-2) x (-8) = 16
Negative x Positive = Negative: (-3) x 4 = -12
Positive x Negative = Negative: 3 x (-4) = -12

4. Dividing Rules:

Positive ÷ Positive = Positive: 12 ÷ 3 = 4

Negative ÷ Negative = Positive: (-12) ÷ (-3) = 4
Negative ÷ Positive = Negative: (-12) ÷ 3 = -4
Positive ÷ Negative = Negative: 12 ÷ (-3) = -4

Tips:

1. When working with rules for positive and negative numbers, try and think of
weight loss or poker games to help solidify 'what this works'.

2. Using a number line showing both sides of 0 is very helpful to help develop the
understanding of working with positive and negative numbers/integers.
This tutorial is designed to help you solve problems correctly by using the 'Order of
Operations'. When there is more than one operation involved in a mathematical
problem, it must be solved by using the correct order of operations. A number of
teachers use acronyms with their students to help them to retain the order.
Remember, calculators will perform operations in the order which you enter them,
therefore, you will need to enter the operations in the correct order for the calculator
to give you the right answer.

* In Mathematics, the order in which mathematical problems are solved is extremely

important.

Rules
1. Calculations must be done from left to right.

2. Calculations in brackets (parenthesis) are done first. When you have more than
one set of brackets, do the inner brackets first.

3. Exponents (or radicals) must be done next.

4. Multiply and divide in the order the operations occur.

5. Add and subtract in the order the operations occur.

Remember to:

• 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.

Acronyms to Help you Remember

How will you remember this order?

Try the following Acronyms:

Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally (Parenthesis, Exponents, Multiply, Divide, Add,
Subtract)

BEDMAS (Brackets, Exponents, Divide, Multiply, Add, Subtract)

Big Elephants Destroy Mice And Snails (Brackets, Exponents, Divide, Multiply, Add,
Subtract)

Pink Elephants Destroy Mice And Snails (Parenthesis, Exponents, Divide,

Multiply,Add, Subtract)

Examples

12 ÷ 4 + 32
12 ÷ 4 + 9 Rule 3: Exponent first
3+9 Rule 4: Multiply or Divide as
12 they appear
Rule 5: Add or Subtract as
they appear
(42 + 5) - 3 Rule 2: Everything in the
21 - 3 brackets first
18 Rule 5: Add or Subtract as
they appear
20 ÷ (12 - 2) X
32 - 2 Rule 2: Everything in the
20 ÷ 10 X 32 - brackets first
2 Rule 3: Exponents
20 ÷ 10 X 9 - 2 Rule 4: Multiply and Divide as
18 - 2 they appear
16 Rule 5: Add or Subtract as
they appear

Does It Make a Difference? What If I Don't Use the Order of Operations?

Mathematicians were very careful when they developed the order of operations.
Without the correct order, watch what happens:

15 + 5 X 10 -- Without following the correct order, I know that 15+5=20 multiplied

by 10 gives me the answer of 200.

15 + 5 X 10 -- Following the order of operations, I know that 5X10 = 50 plus 15 =

65. This is the correct answer, the above is not!

You can see that it is absolutely critical to follow the order of operations. Some of the
most frequent errors students make occur when they do not follow the order of
operations when solving mathematical problems. Students can often be fluent in
computational work yet do not follow procedures. Use the handy acronyms to ensure
that you never make this mistake again.

Example 1: Evaluate each expression using the rules for order of operations.
Solution:
Order of Operations
Expression Evaluation Operation
6+7x8 =6+7x8 Multiplication
= 6 + 56 Addition
= 62
16 ÷ 8 - 2 = 16 ÷ 8 - 2 Division
=2-2 Subtraction
=0
(25 - 11) x 3 = (25 - 11) x 3 Parentheses
= 14 x 3 Multiplication
= 42

In Example 1, each problem involved only 2 operations. Let's look at some examples that
involve more than two operations.

Example 2: Evaluate 3 + 6 x (5 + 4) ÷ 3 - 7 using the order of operations.

Solution: Step 1: 3 + 6 x (5 + 4) ÷ 3 - 7 = 3+6x9÷3-7 Parentheses
Step 2: 3+6x9÷3-7 = 3 + 54 ÷ 3 - 7 Multiplication
Step 3: 3 + 54 ÷ 3 - 7 = 3 + 18 - 7 Division
Step 4: 3 + 18 - 7 = 21 - 7 Addition
Step 5: 21 - 7 = 14 Subtraction
Example 3: Evaluate 9 - 5 ÷ (8 - 3) x 2 + 6 using the order of operations.
Solution: Step 1: 9 - 5 ÷ (8 - 3) x 2 + 6 = 9-5÷5x2+6 Parentheses
Step 2: 9-5÷5x2+6 = 9-1x2+6 Division
Step 3: 9-1x2+6 = 9-2+6 Multiplication
Step 4: 9-2+6 = 7+6 Subtraction
Step 5: 7+6 = 13 Addition

In Examples 2 and 3, you will notice that multiplication and division were evaluated from left
to right according to Rule 2. Similarly, addition and subtraction were evaluated from left to
right, according to Rule 3.

When two or more operations occur inside a set of parentheses, these operations should be
evaluated according to Rules 2 and 3. This is done in Example 4 below.

Example 4: Evaluate 150 ÷ (6 + 3 x 8) - 5 using the order of operations.

Solution: Step 1: 150 ÷ (6 + 3 x 8) - 5 = 150 ÷ (6 + 24) - 5 Multiplication inside
Parentheses
Step 2: 150 ÷ (6 + 24) - 5 = 150 ÷ 30 - 5 Addition inside
Parentheses
 Step 3: 150 ÷ 30 - 5 = 5-5 Division
Step 4: 5-5 = 0 Subtraction

Example 5: Evaluate the arithmetic expression below:

Solution: This problem includes a fraction bar (also called a vinculum), which
means we must divide the numerator by the denominator. However,
we must first perform all calculations above and below the fraction bar
BEFORE dividing.

Thus

Evaluating this expression, we get:

Example 6: Write an arithmetic expression for this problem. Then

evaluate the expression using the order of operations.
Mr. Smith charged Jill $32 for parts and $15 per hour for
labor to repair her bicycle. If he spent 3 hours repairing her
bike, how much does Jill owe him?
Solution: 32 + 3 x 15 = 32 + 3 x 15 = 32 + 45 = 77
Jill owes Mr. Smith $77.
Summary: When evaluating arithmetic expressions, the order of operations is:

• Simplify all operations inside parentheses.

• Perform all multiplications and divisions, working from left to right.

• Perform all additions and subtractions, working from left to right.

If a problem includes a fraction bar, perform all calculations above and below the
fraction bar before dividing the numerator by the denominator.
 Exponent

Problem: Evaluate this arithmetic expression: 18 + 36 ÷ 32

In the last lesson, we learned how to evaluate an arithmetic expression with more than one
operation according to the following rules:

Rule 1: Simplify all operations inside parentheses.

Rule 2: Perform all multiplications and divisions, working from left to right.
Rule 3: Perform all additions and subtractions, working from left to right.

However, the problem above includes an exponent, so we cannot solve it without revising
our rules.

Rule 1: Simplify all operations inside parentheses.

Rule 2: Simplify all exponents, working from left to right.
Rule 3: Perform all multiplications and divisions, working from left to right.
Rule 4: Perform all additions and subtractions, working from left to right.

We can solve the problem above using our revised order of operations.

Problem: Evaluate this arithmetic expression 18 + 36 ÷ 32

Solution:
18 + 36 ÷ 32 = 18 + 36 ÷ 9 Simplify all exponents (Rule 2)
18 + 36 ÷ 9 = 18 + 4 Division (Rule 3)
18 + 4 = 22 Addition (Rule 4)

Let's look at some other examples that involve our new rules for order of operations.

Example 1: Evaluate 52 x 24
Solution:
52 x 24 = 25 x 24 Simplify all exponents, working from left
to right (Rule 2)
25 x 24 = 25 x 16
25 x 16 = 400 Multiplication (Rule 3)

Example 2: Evaluate 289 - (3 x 5)2

Solution:
289 - (3 x 5)2 = 289 - 152 Simplify all operations inside
parentheses (Rule 1)
289 - 152 = 289 - 225 Simplify all exponents (Rule 2)
289 - 225 = 64 Subtraction (Rule 4)

Example 3: Evaluate 8 + (2 x 5) x 34 ÷ 9
Solution:
8 + (2 x 5) x 34 ÷ 9 = 8 + 10 x 34 ÷ 9 Simplify all operations
inside parentheses
(Rule 1)
8 + 10 x 34 ÷ 9 = 8 + 10 x 81 ÷ 9 Simplify all exponents
(Rule 2)
8 + 10 x 81 ÷ 9 = 8 + 810 ÷ 9 Perform all
multiplications and
8 + 810 ÷ 9 = 8 + 90 divisions, working from
left to right (Rule 3)
8 + 90 = 98 Addition (Rule 4)

Example 4: An interior decorator charges $15 per square foot to lay a carpet, and
an installation fee of $150. If the room is square and each side
measures 12 feet, how much will it cost to carpet it?
Solution: If one side of the square-shaped room is 12 feet, then the area of the
room is (12 feet)2.

15 x 122 + 150 = 15 x 144 + 150 Simplify all exponents (Rule 2)

15 x 144 + 150 = 2,160 + 150 Multiplication (Rule 3)
2,160 + 150 = 2,310 Addition (Rule 4)

Answer: It will cost $2,310 to carpet this room.

Writing Algebraic Equations

Problem: Jeanne has $17 in her piggy bank. How much
money does she need to buy a game that costs
$68?
Solution: Let x represent the amount of money Jeanne
needs. Then the following equation can represent
this problem:
17 + x = 68
We can subtract 17 from both sides of the equation to find the value of x.
68 - 17 = x
Answer: x = 51, so Jeanne needs $51 to buy the game.

In the problem above, x is a variable. The symbols 17 + x = 68 form an algebraic equation.

Let's look at some examples of writing algebraic equations.

Example 1: Write each sentence as an algebraic equation.

 Sentence Algebraic Equation
A number increased by nine is fifteen. y + 9 = 15
Twice a number is eighteen. 2n = 18
Four less than a number is twenty. x - 4 = 20

A number divided by six is eight.

Example 2: Write each sentence as an algebraic equation.

Sentence Algebraic Equation

Twice a number, decreased by twenty-nine, is seven. 2t - 29 = 7
Thirty-two is twice a number increased by eight. 32 = 2a + 8

The quotient of fifty and five more than a number is ten.

Twelve is sixteen less than four times a number. 12 = 4x - 16

Example 3: Write each sentence as an algebraic equation.

Sentence Algebraic Equation

Eleni is x years old. In thirteen years x + 13 = 24
she will be twenty-four years old.
Each piece of candy costs 25 cents. 25h = 200 or
The price of h pieces of candy is $2.00.
.25h = 2.00
Suzanne made a withdrawal of d dollars 350 - d = 280
from her savings account. Her old
balance was $350, and her new balance
is $280.
A large pizza pie with 15 slices is
shared among p students so that each
student's share is 3 slices.

Summary: An algebraic equation is an equation that includes one or more

variables. In this lesson, we learned how to write a sentence as an
algebraic equation.