Order of Operations

The order of operations is the agreed order for working out an expression, and in NSW Year 8 maths it is applied to integers, powers and roots (NESA outcome MA4‑INT‑C‑01). Grouping symbols come first, then powers and roots, then multiplying and dividing from left to right, then adding and subtracting.

You will evaluate expressions such as \(-18 + 6 \times (-3)\) and \(-5^2 + (-5)^2\), treat a fraction bar and a root sign as grouping symbols, and place brackets to reach a target value. You will substitute negative values, work backwards to a missing integer and find where a student went wrong. A sausage sizzle balance, a car wash profit and a frosty Cooma morning all follow these rules. It is part of Year 8 Working with Numbers.