Solving Equations with Variables on Both Sides
6-8
1
PEMDAS: Order of Operations
Lesson Details
Grade Level
6-8
Duration (minutes)
1
Summary
A lesson on PEMDAS (order of operations), showing why math needs a fixed order to avoid ambiguous answers, walked through with four worked examples covering parentheses and left-to-right multiply/divide.
Student Worksheet: PEMDAS (Order of Operations)
Teacher Note: Students can watch the video lesson above and answer the questions. Click the “Teacher Answer Key” dropdown below when you are ready to review the solutions!
Key Concepts:
• PEMDAS: Parentheses, Exponents, Multiply and Divide (left to right), Add and Subtract (left to right).
• Teammates: Multiplication and division are “teammates” solved together left to right; addition and subtraction are teammates too.
• Rewrite Each Step: Rewriting the expression after every step keeps your work organized and accurate.
Instructions: Solve each expression using PEMDAS. Show your work by rewriting the expression after each step.
- Question 1: 3 + 5 × 2
- Question 2: 8 + 4 × 3
- Question 3: (8 + 4) × 3
- Question 4: 24 ÷ 6 × 2
- Question 5: Why do (8 + 4) × 3 and 8 + 4 × 3 have different answers, even though they use the same numbers?
- Question 6: In your own words, explain why “left to right” matters for 24 ÷ 6 × 2.
Click to reveal Teacher Answer Key
1. 13 (multiply first: 5 × 2 = 10, then 3 + 10 = 13)
2. 20 (multiply first: 4 × 3 = 12, then 8 + 12 = 20)
3. 36 (parentheses first: 8 + 4 = 12, then 12 × 3 = 36)
4. 8 (left to right: 24 ÷ 6 = 4, then 4 × 2 = 8)
5. The parentheses in (8 + 4) × 3 force the addition to happen first, changing the order and the result.
6. Answers will vary — check that students explain multiplying first (6 × 2 = 12, then 24 ÷ 12 = 2) would give a different, incorrect answer.
Disclaimer: This worksheet was generated with AI assistance based on original video content. It is intended for educational reference only. Teachers are encouraged to review and adjust questions to fit their curriculum standards before classroom use.
🎯 Extension Activity: Give students an expression like 6 + 2 × (5 - 3) and have them solve it two ways — correctly with PEMDAS, and incorrectly by ignoring the order — then compare the two answers and explain why only one is right.