Order of Operations: The Myth and the Math
Author(s): Jennifer M. Bay-Williams and Sherri L. Martinie
Source: Teaching Children Mathematics , Vol. 22, No. 1 (August 2015), pp. 20-27
Published by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
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ORDER F
OPERATIONS:
The Myth and the Math
Six thought-provoking issues
challenge misconceptions
about this iconic topic.
M
Jennifer M. Bay-Williams and Sher ri L. Mar tinie
any of us embrace the order and beauty in mathematics. The order of operations is an iconic mathematics topic that seems untouchable by time,
reform, or mathematical discoveries. Yet, think for
a moment about a commonly heard statement in
teaching the order of operations: “You work from
left to right.” At another point in the curriculum, when working on
properties of the operations, we say, “You can add numbers in any
order” (commutative property). How can both of these statements
be true? Preparing students to do mathematics means that they have
an integrated understanding of rules and properties in mathematics.
20
20
August 2015 • teaching children mathematics | Vol. 22, No. 1
August 2015 • teaching children mathematics | Vol. 22, No. 1
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21
The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) (CCSSI 22010) introduces
the order of operations in grade 3 and applies
it in all later grades. How can we teach this
fundamental topic effectively? First, we must
be sure we understand it well ourselves. Test
yourself. As you read each of the six statements
below, decide if it is myth or math before reading
the narrative that follows.
1. The order of operations was
arbitrarily designed long ago.
Rather than
dismiss the
order of
operations as
a convention
established
long ago,
engage
students in
exploring
equivalence
and see why
operations
are ordered
as they are.
Response: Myth
It is actually not true that “a long time ago,
people just decided on an order in which operations should be performed . . . and it has stuck
ever since” (Math Forum 2015). Two aspects
of this myth are worthy of attention: First, that
there is a long-standing consensus on the order.
In fact, the debate is less than 100 years old and
seems to have been driven by the beginning of
textbook use in the early 1900s (Vanderbeek
2007). Cajori, American mathematician and
author of A History of Mathematical Notations
(1928–29), writes, “If an arithmetical or algebraical term contains ÷ and ×, there is at present no
agreement as to which sign shall be used first”
(vol. 1, p. 274).
The second aspect of this myth is that it is
an arbitrary order, a convention. Conventions
are ways of operating that could have just as
easily been decided differently. For example,
we put positive real numbers on the right side
of the number line, but we could have made the
opposite choice with no logical dilemma. Following this logic would imply that we arbitrarily
decided on the order of operations, but if we
think in terms of quantities and the representations of those quantities, it turns out that the
order has a mathematical basis. Let’s look at an
example that will help use see why multiplication precedes addition:
We might add the numbers from left to right,
or we could first add the three 5s (e.g., 3 × 5)
and then add on the 4. Both ways preserve the
equivalence of the expression. Conversely, adding 4 + 3 first in the expression 4 + 3 × 5 changes
the mathematical meaning of the expression
and does not preserve the equivalence. The
same is true of an expression such as 2 × 53.
Expanded, this means 2 × 5 × 5 × 5. To multiply
2 × 5 and then cube it changes the value of the
expression. Rather than dismiss the order of
operations as a convention established long
ago, engage students in exploring equivalence
and see why operations are ordered as they are.
2. The order of operations is rigid.
Response: Myth
Take a moment to think about what the properties of the operations tell us. We can (sometimes)
rearrange numbers (commutative properties of
addition and multiplication); we can sometimes
group numbers differently (associative properties of addition and multiplication); and we can
alter the order in which operations are completed (distributive property of multiplication
over addition). Teaching the order of operations
as a rigid set of rules is mathematically misguided and misses the opportunity to consider
when we can and cannot apply the properties of
the operations and preserve equivalence. In fact,
the CCSSM Progression for K–Grade 5 Operations and Algebraic Thinking argues thus:
Parentheses are important in expressing the
associative and especially the distributive
properties. These properties are at the heart
of Grades 3 to 5 because they are used in the
Level 3 multiplication and division strategies, in multi-digit and decimal multiplication and division, and in all operations with
fractions. (CCSSI 2011, p. 28)
Let’s look at another example:
4+3×5
Because multiplication is repeated addition,
we can rewrite this expression with an equivalent expression:
4+5+5+5
We could add these numbers in various ways.
22
53 + 4 × 16 + 24 × 4
According to the order of operations, the
3
first step is to simplify 5 (125), then multiply
4 × 16 (64), then multiply 24 × 4 (96), then go
from left to right to solve the addition (125 +
64 + 96 = 189 + 96 = 285). Yet, there are many
other ways to simplify this expression. First,
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They analyze givens, constraints, relationships, and goals. They . . . plan a solution
pathway rather than simply jumping into a
solution attempt. (CCSSI 2010, p. 6)
In this example, mathematically proficient
students should first look at the problem
holistically and decide how to most efficiently
find the solution, applying what they know
about the properties of the operations and the
order of operations. Problems that incorporate
a variety of operations offer the opportunity to
look for constraints (what will change the result
of the operations) and relationships (which
numbers or operations might lead to a more
efficient solution path).
3. The order of operations can be taught
conceptually.
Response: Math
Our goal to help students become mathematically proficient requires that we try to make the
connection among concepts, procedures, and
facts (CCSSI 2010; NRC 2001). When it comes to
order of operations, we may wonder, How can
such a procedurally focused topic as the order
of operations be taught in a way to develop
mathematical proficiency? Let’s look at another
example and see how it was discussed in a sixthgrade multicultural, multilingual classroom.
8+3×5+7
The teacher, Ms. G, has just read Two of Everything (Hong 1993). In this story, Mr. Haktak
discovers a large magic pot that doubles everything that goes into it. Students had heard the
story earlier in the year when they explored
FIGU R E 1
any of the parts that are eventually added can
be done in any order. Second, if you recognize
that the 4 is multiplied by both the 16 and the
24 (distributive property), you can instead solve
4 × 40. That makes the problem 125 + 160 = 285.
When we teach order of operations in a rigid
way, students miss out on opportunities to look
for efficient approaches, a critical component
of procedural fluency. The first of the Common
Core’s Standards for Mathematical Practice
(SMP 1) states that mathematically proficient
students look for entry points to a problem’s
solution:
In this discussion, students are making sense of why
multiplication precedes addition, and they are thinking
flexibly about the order in which they can combine the
numbers.
Ms. G: How many coins?
Emile: Thirty coins.
Ms. G: Any other answers? [None are offered.] What order did you
use to solve this problem?
Francesca: I did three stacks of five coins first, five plus five plus
five, then added seven and eight.
Leila: I did the same but just multiplied three times five.
Ms. G: Who else did these stacks first? [All hands go up.] What is
next?
Anh: I have eight, fifteen, and seven, so I get thirty.
Ms. G: [Writing on the board] 8 + 15 + 7 = 30. In what order did
you add them?
Makena: I added eight and seven, fifteen. Fifteen and fifteen is
thirty.
José: I just added them across. Eight and fifteen is twenty-three,
and then seven more is thirty.
Ms. G: Did the order that we added make a difference? Roberta and
Jose added them in a different order. Did it matter?
Neesa: Not when it is all addition; then you can rearrange and add
differently.
Ms. G: So, can we add eight plus five first? Talk to your partners
and be ready to justify why or why not. [Two minutes pass.] What
do you think?
Lorena: No, you can’t. It doesn’t make sense with the stacks.
Jason: There aren’t three coins. The three just tells how many stacks
of five, so that [three times five] has to be done first.
Angie: The story is about three stacks of five, not eleven stacks of
five. If you add first, then it would be different—it would change
the situation.
Ms. G: I think we have a conjecture from this problem: We need to
multiply before we add, but when it is all addition, we can add in
any order.
algebra. Ms. G returned to the story to show
the illustration of the numerous stacks of coins
that the Haktaks had produced from the doubling pot. Ms. G explained that they were going
to help the Haktaks count their coins. She wrote
8 + 3 × 5 + 7 on the board and said, “The Haktaks
have one stack of eight coins, three stacks of
five coins, and one stack of seven coins. Tell me
how many coins the Haktaks have.”
Students were permitted to grapple with
the task, and a discussion of their solutions followed (see fig. 1). With further experience using
the context of stacking coins, these students will
continue to develop a strong understanding of
the order in which they can apply operations. In
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this way, they are looking for and making use
of structure (SMP 8) (CCSSI 2010).
Preparing mathematically
proficient students requires
FIGURE 2
that what is learned is
understood—every day, all topics.
Below is an adaptation of the visual representation that Ameis
(2011) suggests to illustrate that multiplication and division
are at the same level in the hierarchy of operators.
Hierarchy of the order of operations
(adapted from Ameis 2011)
Operations higher in the hierarchy
are completed first.
Parentheses ( )
include operations to
be done first.
4. The order of operations is best taught
using memory triggers.
Response: Myth
Preparing mathematically proficient students
requires that what is learned is understood—
every day, all topics. Otherwise, we send a
confusing message to students that it is important to understand only some mathematics.
Notice that statement 4 uses the word taught.
Although the order of operations should be
taught conceptually, as we saw in Ms. G’s class,
memory triggers can reinforce that instruction
and can be particularly useful for students with
disabilities. The two popular memory triggers
in the United States (Please Excuse My Dear
Aunt Sally and PEMDAS/PEDMAS) can help
students remember and effectively apply the
order of operations after it has been developed
conceptually. Unfortunately, these triggers
have caused major misconceptions about
the order of operations. First, they imply that
there are six steps in the order of operations.
Second, students erroneously assume that
multiplication precedes division and addition
precedes subtraction ( Jeon 2012). Consider
this example:
45 ÷ 5 × 9
Exponents!
Division
Multiplication
(left to right)!
Addition
Subtraction
(left to right)!
24
If multiplication is done first, the answer will be
1, which is incorrect. The answer is 81. Visuals
and other techniques can more accurately help
students understand and remember the order
of operations, as the next discussion will show.
5. Four operation steps are in the order
of operations.
Response: Myth
Often the order is listed as (1) parenthesis,
(2) exponents, (3) multiplication and division
and (4) addition and subtraction. Parentheses
are grouping symbols, not operation symbols. Therefore, there are only three operation steps. Ameis (2011) suggests the use of
a triangle as a way to illustrate the hierarchy
of operators (see fig. 2). Unlike the memory
triggers, this visual prompt illustrates that
multiplication and division are at the same
level in the order of operations.
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Because elementary school students are
working only on the lower two levels, and with
parenthesis, the top tier can be left blank or
shaded so students can see that they will soon
add another operation (exponents) in middle
school (grade 6 in CCSSM).
6. The order of operations is universal.
Response: Math and myth
The basic order of operations (e.g., exponents
first) is common across countries, but differences do exist within the tiers and with how they
are described. Kenyans, for example, explain
that division comes before multiplication
(Maina 2012). Let’s look at another example:
100 × 20 ÷ 5
Applying the order of operations as it is
described in the United States, this expression would be simplified from left to right:
100 × 20 = 2000 then divide 2000 ÷ 5 = 400.
In Kenya, students are taught to divide first:
20 ÷ 5 = 4, then multiply: 100 × 4 = 400. It
works! (Try more examples to convince yourself.) Consider the two options for this step:
(1) multiply and divide in order from left to
right (United States) and (2) divide before
you multiply (Kenya). Either of these statements accurately describes the same step in
the order of operations. Understanding the
When we teach order of operations
in a rigid way, students miss
out on opportunities to look
for efficient approaches, a critical
component of procedural fluency.
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25
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Students need the
opportunity to
explore the structure
of numbers through
meaningful tasks.
properties of multiplication and the relationship between multiplication and division is
a focus in grade 3 CCSSM Operations and
Algebraic Thinking. The two different conventions for doing multiplication and division are
an opportunity to explore these properties
and relationships. (Notice that the example
could have been rewritten as 100 × 5 × 1/5, and
then the commutative property or associative
property could be applied to illustrate why the
Kenyan approach works.) These two options
for describing this step of the order of operations can launch an excellent cultural as well
as mathematical investigation: Ask students
to determine if these statements can both be
true and why they think so (using coins as
described above, for instance).
Terminology also varies in different regions
of the world. For example, in Canada, the
United Kingdom, and other English-speaking
countries, people refer to the steps as Brackets, Order, Division, Multiplication, Addition,
and Subtraction (with acronyms of BODMAS,
BEDMAS, and BIDMAS, depending on whether
the second step is named Order, Exponents,
or Indices). In the United States, the term
PEMDAS or PEDMAS is more common. These
differences may simply be due to how different textbooks in different countries began to
describe the order of operations.
Misleading descriptions
Order of operations is often described as arbitrary, a rigid series of steps, best taught through
memorization, and universally learned in one
26
way by all students. These descriptors are misleading; such instruction denies students the
opportunities to explore equivalence and properties of the operations—to really explore the
structure of numbers and “do mathematics.”
Simplifying expressions that involve various
operations must be a worthwhile venture into
mathematical reasoning and sense making.
The progression for K–Grade 5 Operations and
Algebraic Thinking states the following:
In Grade 6, students will begin to view
expressions not just as calculation recipes
but as entities in their own right, which
can be described in terms of their parts.
For example, students see 8 × (5 + 2) as the
product of 8 with the sum 5 + 2. In particular,
students must use the conventions for order
of operations to interpret expressions, not
just to evaluate them. Viewing expressions
as entities created from component parts is
essential for seeing the structure of expressions in later grades and using structure to
reason about expressions and functions.
(CCSSI 2011, p. 34)
For this to happen, we must teach the order
of operations through meaningful tasks that
use contexts (e.g., stacking coins) and engage
students in problems that are focused on finding equivalent expressions (like comparing the
Kenya explanation to the U.S. explanation for
the order of multiplication and division). This
approach is much more likely to help students
become flexible, accurate, and efficient in
simplifying expressions—in other words, procedurally fluent.
REF EREN C ES
Ameis, Jerry A. 2011. “The Truth about
PEDMAS.” Mathematics Teaching in the
Middle School 16 (March): 414–20.
Cajori, Florian. 1928, 1929. History of Mathematical Notations: Two Volumes Bound as
One. La Salle, IL: The Open Court Publishing
Company.
Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI).
2010. Common Core State Standards for
Mathematics (CCSSM). Washington, DC:
National Governors Association Center for
Best Practices and the Council of Chief State
School Officers. http://www.corestandards
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.org/wp-content/uploads/Math_Standards.pdf
——. 2011. Progressions for the Common Core
State Standards for Mathematics (draft): K,
Counting and Cardinality; K–5, Operations and
Algebraic Thinking. http://corestandards.org
“Convention.” n.d. Dictionary.com. http://
dictionary.reference.com/browse
/convention?s=t. Retrieved December 2012.
Hong, Lilly Toy. 1993. Two of Everything: A
Chinese Folktale. New York: Albert Whitman.
Jeon, Kyungsoon. 2012. “Reflecting on
PEMDAS.” Teaching Children Mathematics 18
(February): 370–77.
Maina, Robert. 2012. Order of Operations
Lesson Script—Class 6 [Unpublished document]. Nairobi, Kenya: Bridges International
Academy.
The Math Forum@Drexel. 2015. Ask Dr. Math:
FAQ. “Order of Operations.” http://
mathforum.org/dr.math/faq/faq.order
.operations.html
National Research Council (NRC). 2001.
“Conclusions and Recommendations.”
In Adding It Up: Helping Children Learn
Mathematics, edited by by Jeremy Kilpatrick,
Jane Swafford, Bradford Findell, pp. 407–32.
Washington, DC: The National Academies
Press.
Vanderbeek, Greg. 2007. Order of Operations
and RPN. Master’s thesis. University of
Nebraska–Lincoln.
Jennifer M. BayWilliams is a professor
in mathematics
education at the
University of Louisville.
Sherri L. Martinie is an assistant professor at Kansas
State University. Both authors are interested in finding
ways to make mathematics meaningful and engaging
for all students.
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