One step at a time

Have you ever cooked or baked something according to a recipe? Or have you ever assembled a piece of furniture according to instructions? Recipes and instructions give you specific steps to follow in a particular order. Have you ever tried to complete these tasks out of the stated order? What happened? How would cookies turn out if they were baked before adding eggs? Can you think of any other examples where it’s important to follow the steps in order?

Mixed operations

One area where it’s important to follow steps in order is when you’re trying to solve number sentences that have mixed operations. In mixed operations, there is a specific order to follow when we are completing a question with many different operations. BEDMAS tells us the order we must complete the operations in, from left to right.

Here’s an example of how we would use BEDMAS in a number sentence.

(4 × 7) + 2 − 5 =

According to BEDMAS, we would solve the brackets first. Our number sentence is now:

28 + 2 − 5 =

This number sentence doesn’t have any division or multiplication in it, so we continue to follow BEDMAS until we get to Add. When we solve the addition, our number sentence is now:

30 − 5 =

This brings us to our final operation, which is subtraction. If you’ve followed BEDMAS correctly, it should be your only operation left. Now we have the answer to our number sentence:

25

Here’s another example. Can you follow along?

(24 ÷ 3) − 7 + (6 × 2) =

8 − 7 + 12 =

1 + 12 =

13

Putting BEDMAS rules into practice!

If you would like, you can complete the next series of word problems using TVO Mathify. You can also use your notebook or the fillable and printable document.

Task 1

Using this set of numbers, record five variations of this number sentence by mixing up different operations in the spaces. You can also add brackets to part of the equation.

2 ☐ 5 ☐ 3 ☐ 4

Follow the BEDMAS rules when solving your question. What do you notice about how your question and answers change when you move the operations around?

Task 2

A local community centre is holding an Environmental Fair as part of Earth Day celebrations. It will include a small pop-up stand of environmentally friendly products. A community member has been given a budget of $50 to spend at the pop-up stand to buy supplies for their classroom. Create a number sentence that details what they will purchase, how many, and the remaining funds if there is any.

Here’s an example:

(4 × 2) + (3 × 7) + 12 + 8 = 49

If I buy four soaps, three hand creams, one tote bag, and reusable cleaning cloth, I will spend $49.00 and have $1.00 left over.

Use the following chart for information about the items available and their cost:

If you would like, you can complete the next series of word problems using TVO Mathify. You can also use your notebook or the fillable and printable document

Strategies and operations

Task: Your own problem

Create your own BEDMAS problem for someone to complete. Be sure to show your work and the strategies you used to calculate the correct response.

Task 2: Real world

If you would like, you can complete the next series of word problems using TVO Mathify. You can also use your notebook or the fillable and printable document.

You might not realize it, but we use mixed operations on a regular basis when we are purchasing multiple items, dividing costs, and considering deals. Find a menu of a restaurant, bakery, or fast food chain. Imagine that Person A will be purchasing food for themselves and two friends with the following preferences:

• Person A is really hungry and needs a large meal.
• Person B will enjoy the same thing as person A, but may need an extra snack.
• Person C is not really hungry and will eat something small.
• Everyone needs to order a drink.

Create a number sentence that reflects all of these needs in your purchase. How did you solve your problem? Is there another way that you could go about solving the number sentence you came up with?

Reflection

As you read through these descriptions, which sentence best describes how you are feeling about your understanding of this learning activity? Press the button that is beside this sentence.

Now, record your ideas using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.

Connect with a TVO Mathify tutor