Order of Operations
The use of BIDMAS or similar variations is used throughout this resource list which is designed to support students in the understanding and use of conventional notation for the priority of operations, including brackets, powers, roots and reciprocals.
Visit the secondary mathematics webpage to access all lists.
Number and Algebra Mixed
This resource contains four packs of games, investigations, worksheets and practical activities.
In pack three, Calculator Brackets explores the use of the bracket key on a calculator. Use Brackets! is an activity in which students make a cross-number puzzle. Sum Dice is an activity in which students have to roll dice and use all the numbers in a calculation to make a target number. Fewest Keys requires students to use a calculator efficiently.
Understanding the Laws of Arithmetic N5
Students are required to learn how to interpret numerical expressions in context. This resource uses words and area representations to explore different ways to express the area of compound shapes, recognise the order of operations, recognise equivalent expressions and understand the distributive laws of multiplication and division over addition i.e. the expansion of brackets.
Powers and Roots
This resource contains games, investigations, worksheets and practical activities.
Pack one contains the activity Three Squared which explores the meaning of square numbers, Finding Square Roots uses trial and improvement to solve problems, Squaring; requires students to find the squares of non-integer values. Power and Power Match explore raising numbers to different powers.
Pack two contains further, more complex activities and investigations exploring powers and roots.
Calculation Activities for Students Aged 11-13
This resource includes challenging problems, puzzles and open-ended investigations offering a variety of activities providing practice and consolidate material. The activity appropriate to this section is:
Dropped digits - in which students are required to use the correct order of operations to place numbers into the correct place to generate the desired solution. This activity can be extended by asking students to produce their own puzzle given certain criteria e.g. must include a power.
Rounding and Estimating
Rounding and estimating, contains explanations, examples and exercises covering revison of the four rules for whole numbers, revision of the four rules for decimals, order of operations; BODMAS, problems in context, rounding to decimal places and significant figures, estimation of answers to calculations by rounding to one significant figure and calculator logic; using brackets and memory keys and is ideal for consolidation work.
The activity Calculator Keys requires students to use certain calculator keys, and the correct order of operation, in order to produce all the numbers from 1 to 20.
Bodmas and Bidmas
This excel file from the Virtual Textbook has four interactive sheets dealing with the order of operations, covers:
- calculations involving addition, subtraction and multiplication and division
- calculations with the four operations and brackets
- inserting brackets to make the shown calculations correct, including if any of the brackets in the answers are unnecessary
BIDMAS
This resource includes two separate printable worksheet activities.
The first is a game of connect four, where students take it in turns to answer order of operations questions.
In the second resource students have to solve a series of clues to identify who committed the crime, the victim, as well as where and when the crime was committed.
