Homeschool Math Blog

I have had to concentrate a lot lately on new worksheet generators, in preparing for the release of the revised version of Math Mammoth Grade 6-A. So, yet one more... this time it is for  order of operations . This one was difficult to make, and I cannot claim it is perfect in the sense that I wish I could have spent more time on it and made it more elaborate, have more variety, more operations, more options... but there are time limits so I had to stop at some point. There are actually two generators: The first generator (grades 2-5) lets you choose from five different operations to include (the four basic operations plus exponents), choose to include parentheses or not , and choose the basic number ranges used in the different operations. You can use decimals or whole numbers. The second generator (grades 6-9) includes by default all four operations and parenthesis. You can choose to include exponents or not . This one uses fraction line for division, and thus invo...

You've surely heard of the acronym PEMDAS for the order of operations (Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally) - standing for Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication & Division, Addition & Subtraction. There's a new game for order of operations called My Dear Aunt Sally . You can play it free online, or purchase an inexpensive app for your tablet. It's a very good game, and takes some thinking! You need to place the given numbers into two expressions so that the operations make the two expressions have the same value. Here are some screenshots. The first one is the easiest level. The addition on the top has to have the same value as the multiplication/addition expression on the bottom.  It gets harder if you choose to include exponents: You can also choose to use fractions, so it becomes harder yet:

Or you could call it a "cloud" or "balloon", instead of a "bubble". Anyhow, the idea is simple: in a given math problem with many operations, have the child encircle in a bubble/cloud/balloon the operation to be done first. He/she can use colored pencils or crayons for more fun. I just had this idea when my 2nd daughter was studying order of operations in addition and subtraction... that is, problems with many additions and subtractions, including parenthesis, things like 100 + 20 − (50 + 10) or 20 − 8 − 6    vs.   20 − (8 − 6) (Those are found in Math Mammoth grade 3 curriculum .) So what we did was write some of the problems from the book on the whiteboard and she "bubbled" or drew bubbles around the operation to be done first. Well, her bubbles look like ovals, but she was thinking of them as bubbles--and that made it fun for her! Click to enlarge Then we did another fun thing, which is that she made me a difficult math pro...

Photo courtesy of minibe09 If your student or child needs more practice with order of operations, here are some online games for that. These shouldn't include integers, but just the four operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) and parenthesis. Most kids just love using games and interactive quizzes for practice instead of worksheets. Have fun! Choose Math Operation Choose the mathematical operation(s) so that the number sentence is true. Practice the role of zero and one in basic operations or operations with negative numbers. This helps develop number sense and logical thinking. www.homeschoolmath.net/operation-game.php Division and Order of operations and Division and Addition - Order of Operations Two mystery picture games. www.dositey.com/2008/math/m/mystery2MD.htm www.dositey.com/2008/math/m/mystery2AD.htm Order of Operations Quiz A 10-question online quiz that includes two different operations and possibly parenthesis in each questio...

PEMDAS does not cover matrices... Photo courtesy of Stuartpilbrow Someone asked me recently... Could you please share with me your opinion of the "Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally" simplifying expressions. Any feedback could you give will be appreciated. Thank you. This "PEMDAS" rule is a mnemonic for order of operations: Please = Parenthesis Excuse = Exponents My = Multiplication Dear = Division Aunt = Addition Sally = Subtraction There's nothing wrong with using a mnemonic to remember the order of operations. However, one has to bear in mind that This rule is not all-inclusive. It omits for example square roots. But the rule is good for all elementary grades. (Square roots would be on the same level or rank with exponents, by the way.)   The rule doesn't spell out the fact that in reality multiplication and division are "on the same level" or rank. This means that if you have several multiplications and divisions, you do the...