Order of Operations Introduction — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. Mia bought 3 packs of 4 pens and gave 2 away. Expression: 3*4-2.
Translating words to expressions requires mapping each action to its operation carefully.
2. (5+3)*2 represents adding then doubling, which equals 16.
Parentheses control which operation happens first when translating from real-world stories.
3. Eight friends split (16+8) cookies equally; each gets 3 cookies.
Parentheses ensure the total is computed before sharing among the group of friends.
4. Tom earns $5 per hour for 4 hours and a $2 bonus: 5*4+2 = 22.
Multiplication outranks addition, so wages compute before the bonus is added on.
5. (10-4)*3 means subtract first, then multiply, equaling 18.
Parentheses change priority so subtraction completes before multiplication acts on the result.
6. Six rows of 5 chairs minus 4 broken chairs is 6*5-4.
Word details map to specific operations, with subtraction handling the broken chairs accurately.
7. (12/3)+5 equals 9 after dividing then adding correctly.
Parentheses around division force it to occur before the final addition step.
8. Lucy has 2 boxes of 6 markers, then loses 3: 2*6-3 = 9.
Multiplication priority lets you find the total before subtracting the lost markers.
9. (7+3)/2 means add first, then divide; the answer is 5.
Parentheses force addition to finish before division gives the correct grouped result.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
3 packs of 4 cookies, then 2 eaten
→ 3*4-2
3*4-2
Add 5 and 3, then double the sum
→ (5+3)*2
(5+3)*2
Share 16 plus 8 candies among 8 kids
→ (16+8)/8
(16+8)/8
Earn 5 dollars times 4 hours plus 2 tip
→ 5*4+2
5*4+2
Connecting story actions to expression structure trains careful translation between language and math.