Order Of Operations: Solving Steps
What do you complete first? What is the answer to that first step?
3 + 6 - 9 - 5 + (2 x 9)
First step:(2 x 9)
Answer to the first step is 19
What is the first step in GEMS?
Groups/Parentheses
Solve.
7 - 2 x 3
15
Solve.
5 x -2
-10
-5 - 8
- 13
What do you complete first? What is the answer to that first step?
6 ÷ 2 x 8 + 5 - 3
First step: 6 ÷ 2
Answer: 3
What does the E in GEMS represent?
Exponents
Exponents are the power of a number.
Solve.
9 ÷ 3 x 7
21
Solve.
-36 ÷ -6
6
-2 + 6
4
What do you solve first in this problem? Solve that step.
46 x 17 - (65 - 34)
First Step: (65 - 34)
Answer: 31
What do you do in order of operations if you don't have parentheses and exponents?
If you don't have exponents and parentheses you continue down the line with the order of operations in GEMS. The next step would be any multiplication or division, from left to right.
Solve.
8 x 2 + (45 ÷ 5)
Solve.
-7 x 8
-56
12 - (-8)
20
What step is first step?
10 ÷ 2 x (10 x 5) + 42
First Step: 10 x 5
Answer: 50
What do you do first, addition or subtraction?
Whichever is first from left to right.
Solve.
10 + (8 x 4 - 54 ÷ 9)
Solve.
-6 x 3 ÷ -9
2
Solve.
-14 - (-5)
-9