BODMAS And BIDMAS: Explained

BODMAS and BIDMAS crop up throughout primary school maths so here we cover what BODMAS and BIDMAS mean , and offer you some BODMAS questions and exercises you need to use to help your KS2 child practise accurately carrying out BODMAS calculations. 

What is BODMAS?

The BODMAS rule is definitely an acronym to help children remember the order of mathematical operations – the right order where to solve maths problems. Some children put it to use as a mnemonic (like Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain is used to consider colours).

Bodmas stands for Brackets, Orders, Division/Multiplication, Addition/Subtraction.

What is BIDMAS?

The BIDMAS rule is an alternate acronym to BODMAS to help remember the order of operations. The sole difference is that there’s an I in place of O. The meaning is the same. Bidmas is the term more commonly utilized in primary schools today.

Bidmas stands for Brackets, Indices, Division/Multiplication, Addition/Subtraction.

Mathematical Operations

“Mathematical operations” are what you do to the numbers given. The four main operations are:

addition (+);
subtraction (-);
multiplication (x);
and division (÷).

When given a number sentence containing more than one operation (such as 3 + 4 x 2) the operations can’t be completed from left to right, but instead inside their order of “importance”, which is what BODMAS stands for.

BODMAS stands for:

Brackets
Orders
Division/Multiplication
Addition/Subtraction

BODMAS meaning

“Orders” means square roots and indices (which you might know as square numbers, powers or exponents).

Brackets
Indices
Division/Multiplication
Addition/Subtraction

Here “Indices” (square numbers, powers or exponents) are employed in place of Orders.

What does order of operations mean ?

Here is the order where certain operations must certanly be completed, from brackets first to addition and subtraction last.

It is important that division and multiplication are represented alongside each other since they are of equal importance (so must certanly be completed from left to right, whichever appears first) – this is actually the same for addition and subtraction.

BODMAS examples

Here are some examples of BODMAS questions and answers children might see in schools. We’ve given you the proper answer and one or more different answer showing you where children might go wrong. IIRC Meaning: What Does Term IIRC Mean?

BODMAS (BIDMAS) Questions and Answers

Question 1: 6 + 2 x 7

The right answer is 20.

The multiplication must certanly be completed first (2 x 7 = 14) and then a addition (6 + 14 = 20).

This might be commonly miscalculated as 56 by working from left to right (6 + 2 = 8, 8 x 7 = 56).

Question 2: 3 x (2 + 4) + 52

The right answer is 43.

The BODMAS rule states we must calculate the Brackets first (2 + 4 = 6), then a Orders (52 = 25), then any Division or Multiplication (3 x 6 (the response to the brackets) = 18), and finally any Addition or Subtraction (18 + 25 = 43).

Children can get the wrong answer of 35 by working from left to right.

Question 3: 5 – 2 + 6 ÷ 3

The right answer is 5.

The division must certanly be completed first (6 ÷ 3 = 2) which then leaves addition and subtraction; as both are of the same importance, we may then work from left to right. 5 – 2 + 2 (the response to 6 ÷ 3) = 5.

This might be commonly miscalculated as either 3 by working from left to right, or as 1 by wrongly assuming that addition ought to be completed before subtraction.

When will my child find out about BODMAS in primary school?

BODMAS is taught in upper KS2 and often primary school children won’t run into the order of operations until Year 6.

The national curriculum states that Year 6 pupils ought to be taught to make use of their understanding of the order of operations to hold out calculations concerning the four operations.

The non-statutory guidance advises that pupils explore the order of operations using brackets; like, 2 + 1 x 3 = 5 and (2 + 1) x 3 = 9.

Teaching BIDMAS and the order of operations is a thing that the tutors from Third Space Learning are extremely familiar; the slide shown is from the Year 6 lesson.
BODMAS calculator

As a parent wanting to support your child with order of operations questions you will find that many calculators and computers nowadays are sophisticated enough to perform calculations in accordance with BODMAS. However it’s worth testing any calculator out simply to be sure. Additionally there are lots of BODMAS calculators available online.

Practice KS2 BODMAS questions

1) 29 – 4 x 6 + 5 =

Answer: 10

2) Write what both missing numbers could be. (4 + ?) x ? = 100

Answer: 6 and 10 (4 + 6) x 10 = 100

3) Write the missing numbers to produce these calculations correct.

a) 200 x ? – 200 = 200

b) (100 – ?) x 100 = 100

Answers:  a) 2     b) 99

4) Write the right sign >, < or = in all the following

a) (10 + 5) – 9 [     ] (10 + 9) – 5

b) 3 x (4+5) [     ]  (3 x 4) + 5

c) (10 x 4) / 2 [     ]  10 x (4 / 2)

Answers :

a) (10 + 5) – 9 < (10 + 9) – 5

b) 3 x (4+5) > (3 x 4) + 5

c) (10 x 4) / 2 = 10 x (4 / 2)

Practice Year 6 BODMAS questions

Should you feel your child needs some extra support to understand BODMAS , the order of operations, or another trickier areas of the primary maths curriculum, Third Space Learning’s online maths lessons provide 1-to-1 support that’s personalised to children’s needs. Tutors develop confidence, and make lessons fun, matching the interests and previous maths connection with the child being taught.