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🔢 Order of Operations: PEMDAS

4-5 Math ⏱ 30 min Prep: low Parent Led
Materials: Whiteboard or paper, pencil, calculator (optional)

Order of operations is one of those skills that feels like a secret code at first. Kids learn to solve equations, but they often wonder: why do some math problems work differently than others?

What to Teach

Write these equations on the board or paper:

12 + 4 × 3 = ?

Ask your child to solve it their way. Most will add first (12 + 4 = 16), then multiply (16 × 3 = 48). Then solve it the "right" way (multiplication first: 4 × 3 = 12, then 12 + 12 = 24). They get two different answers! This is where the story begins.

Explain that mathematicians all over the world needed to agree on an answer. If we solve it in different orders, we get different answers, and that breaks everything. So we created rules: PEMDAS.

Write it out: - Parentheses - Exponents - Multiplication and Division (left to right) - Addition and Subtraction (left to right)

Say it together: "Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally."

Practice Together

Now work through a few problems together:

Example 1: 8 + 6 ÷ 2 - Step 1: Any parentheses? No. - Step 2: Any exponents? No. - Step 3: Multiplication or division, left to right? 6 ÷ 2 = 3. - Step 4: Addition or subtraction? 8 + 3 = 11.

Example 2: (10 - 2) × 3 - Step 1: Parentheses first! 10 - 2 = 8. - Step 2: Multiplication. 8 × 3 = 24.

Example 3: 15 - 4 + 6 - Step 1: No parentheses or exponents. - Step 2: No multiplication or division. - Step 3: Addition and subtraction, left to right: 15 - 4 = 11, then 11 + 6 = 17.

Why This Works

When kids understand WHY we need order of operations (not just memorize the acronym), they internalize it better. The visual of solving equations "the wrong way first" makes the conflict real and the solution necessary.

Pro Tips

  • Have them color-code each step with different colored pencils. It helps their eye track the order.
  • Use a calculator to verify. Some kids find comfort in seeing if their manual work matches the machine.
  • Practice one problem each night for a week, then review once weekly. This skill needs repetition to stick.
💬 Parent Script

Start with the conflict. Write an equation that gives two different answers depending on the order. Let your child be frustrated (rightfully so!). Then introduce PEMDAS as the rule that solves the problem. Say: "Mathematicians all over the world needed to agree on one answer, so they made rules. We call them PEMDAS."

Walk through one problem together, thinking out loud. Say every step. Then let them try one with you guiding.

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Watch For
  • Going left to right without following PEMDAS. This is the most common error. Have them circle each operation in order: parentheses first, then exponents, then M/D, then A/S.
  • Forgetting that multiplication and division are equal priority, so you go left to right. Same with addition and subtraction.
  • Skipping exponents entirely. Make sure they remember exponents come before multiplication.
🔽 If Your Child Struggles

Break it into smaller pieces. Start with just parentheses, then just multiplication vs addition. Use a visual chart hanging nearby. Color-code each operation. Let them solve one problem per day with heavy support before building independence.

✏️ Easier Version

Use only two operations at a time, with clear visual separators. Focus on just one pair: multiplication + addition, or division + subtraction. Have them color-code the order they solve each operation before writing the answer.

🔼 Challenge Version

Introduce multiple parentheses in a row. Challenge: 5 × (3 + 2) - (8 ÷ 4) × 3. Or give them equations and ask: "What order of operations would give me this answer?" Have them work backwards.

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