Understanding BIDMAS/BODMAS: The Order of Operations Explained

The Order of Operations

BIDMAS and BODMAS are two names for the same thing - they're your roadmap for solving tricky maths problems correctly. Think of them as the "highway code" for mathematics that everyone follows to get the same answer.

The letters stand for the order you should tackle different parts of a calculation. B means Brackets, I or O means Indices/Orders, D is Division, M is Multiplication, A is Addition, and S is Subtraction.

Quick Tip: Remember BIDMAS with "Big Ideas Don't Mean Anything Sometimes" or BODMAS with "Big Old Dogs Make Awful Smells"!

Brackets Come First

Brackets are your number one priority - always sort out what's inside them before doing anything else. They're like VIP guests that get served first at a restaurant.

Take 2×$2+8$ as an example. You can't just work left to right here. First, you solve what's in the brackets: 2+8 = 10. Then you multiply: 2×10 = 20.

If you ignored the brackets and did 2×2 first, you'd get a completely wrong answer. That's why brackets are so important!

Remember: Brackets are like instructions saying "do me first!" - never ignore them.

Indices, Orders, and Powers

Indices (or Orders) are things like square numbers, cubed numbers, and square roots. These little superscript numbers pack a punch and need sorting out early.

For 3²+5, you don't multiply 3×2. Instead, 3² means 3×3 = 9. Then you add 5 to get 14.

Powers and roots might look small, but they have huge effects on your final answer. Miss them and you'll be miles off!

Watch Out: 3² means "3 times itself" (3×3), not "3 times 2" - this trips loads of people up!

Division and Multiplication

Division and multiplication work as a team - they're at the same level of importance and you work through them from left to right.

Let's try (3×5)÷15. The brackets tell you to do 3×5 = 15 first. Then you divide: 15÷15 = 1.

When you see both multiplication and division in the same problem, just work from left to right. Don't automatically do all multiplication before division - they're equal partners!

Pro Tip: Division and multiplication are like dance partners - they move together from left to right across your calculation.

Addition and Subtraction

Addition and subtraction are the final pair, and like division and multiplication, you handle them from left to right when they appear together.

For 6+7-8, you work left to right: first 6+7 = 13, then 13-8 = 5. Don't do all additions before subtractions - treat them as equals.

These operations might seem simple, but getting their order wrong can still mess up your whole answer. Every step in BIDMAS matters!

Key Point: Addition and subtraction work as a team too - always go from left to right when you see them together.