Addition and Subtraction Order of Operations Practice

Master addition and subtraction in PEMDAS with step-by-step practice problems. Learn to solve expressions with parentheses, multiplication, and division correctly.

📚Practice Addition and Subtraction in Order of Operations
  • Apply PEMDAS rules correctly when addition and subtraction appear with other operations
  • Solve expressions with parentheses by addressing brackets first, then operations in order
  • Master left-to-right evaluation of addition and subtraction after multiplication and division
  • Work through multi-step problems combining all four basic operations systematically
  • Identify common mistakes in order of operations and avoid calculation errors
  • Build confidence solving complex expressions step-by-step with proper operation sequencing

Understanding Addition and subtraction

Complete explanation with examples

Addition and subtraction in the order of operations

Addition and subtraction are the third and final stage in the order of operations, immediately after multiplication and division and after opening the initial parentheses.

The first stage:

Opening parentheses and solving everything inside them.
If multiplication and division appear along with addition and subtraction, multiplication and division come first, followed by addition and subtraction from left to right.
Then we rewrite the expression without parentheses.

The second stage:

Multiplication and division in order, from left to right.
We will rewrite the new exercise after solving the multiplication and division.

The Third Stage:

Addition and subtraction in order.
We add and subtract from left to right.
Note - even within parentheses we will follow the correct order of operations - first multiplication and division, then addition and subtraction.

Visual breakdown of BODMAS/PEMDAS rules for solving mathematical expressions: Brackets/Parentheses, Order/Exponents, Division/Multiplication, and Addition/Subtraction, designed for simplifying complex arithmetic operations.

Detailed explanation

Practice Addition and subtraction

Test your knowledge with 15 quizzes

\(15 - 4 - 3 = \)

Examples with solutions for Addition and subtraction

Step-by-step solutions included
Exercise #1

6+5−8= ? 6+5-8=\text{ ?}

Step-by-Step Solution

Add first: 6+5=11 6 + 5 = 11 .

Then, subtract: 11−8=3 11 - 8 = 3 .

The correct answer is 3 3 .

Answer:

3 3

Video Solution
Exercise #2

5+9−3= ? 5+9-3=\text{ ?}

Step-by-Step Solution

First, add 5 and 9 to get 14.

5+9=145 + 9 = 14

Then, subtract 3 from 14 to get 11.

14−3=1114 - 3 = 11

Answer:

1111

Video Solution
Exercise #3

7+5−2= ? 7+5-2=\text{ ?}

Step-by-Step Solution

First, add 7 and 5 to get 12.

7+5=127 + 5 = 12

Then, subtract 2 from 12 to get 10.

12−2=1012 - 2 = 10

Answer:

1010

Video Solution
Exercise #4

15−4+3= ? 15-4+3=\text{ ?}

Step-by-Step Solution

First, subtract 4 from 15 to get 11.

15−4=1115 - 4 = 11

Then, add 3 to 11 to get 14.

11+3=1411 + 3 = 14

Answer:

14 14

Video Solution
Exercise #5

8−6+4= ? 8-6+4=\text{ ?}

Step-by-Step Solution

First, subtract 6 from 8 to get 2.

8−6=28 - 6 = 2

Then, add 4 to 2 to get 6.

2+4=62 + 4 = 6

Answer:

66

Video Solution

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about Addition and subtraction

What is the correct order of operations for addition and subtraction?

+
Addition and subtraction are performed from left to right as the final step in PEMDAS/BODMAS. They come after parentheses, exponents, and multiplication/division have been completed.

Do I add or subtract first in an expression like 10 - 5 + 3?

+
You work from left to right, so subtract first: 10 - 5 = 5, then add: 5 + 3 = 8. Addition and subtraction have equal priority and are solved in order from left to right.

How do parentheses affect addition and subtraction in order of operations?

+
Always solve what's inside parentheses first, following PEMDAS rules within the brackets. For example, in 10 - (5 + 3) ÷ 2, first solve 5 + 3 = 8, then continue with the remaining operations.

What are the three stages of order of operations with addition and subtraction?

+
Stage 1: Solve parentheses/brackets first. Stage 2: Perform multiplication and division from left to right. Stage 3: Perform addition and subtraction from left to right.

Why do I get different answers when I don't follow order of operations?

+
Without following PEMDAS, you might solve operations in the wrong sequence. For example, 10 + 3 × 2 equals 16 (correct: 10 + 6), not 26 (incorrect: 13 × 2).

How do I solve expressions with multiplication and addition together?

+
Always do multiplication first, then addition. In 10 + 3 × 2 + 4, first calculate 3 × 2 = 6, then solve left to right: 10 + 6 + 4 = 20.

What's the difference between (5 + 3) × 2 and 5 + 3 × 2?

+
With parentheses: (5 + 3) × 2 = 8 × 2 = 16. Without parentheses: 5 + 3 × 2 = 5 + 6 = 11. Parentheses change which operation you do first.

Should I rewrite the expression after each step in order of operations?

+
Yes, rewriting after each step helps avoid confusion and reduces errors. It makes the expression shorter and easier to solve, showing your work clearly for each stage of PEMDAS.

More Addition and subtraction Questions

Click on any question to see the complete solution with step-by-step explanations

Addition and subtraction

Solve the Arithmetic Equation: 90 - 2 + 9 - 8 Solve the Expression: Evaluating 10-3+7-5 Step by Step Solve the Expression: 100+5-100+5 Step by Step Solve the Arithmetic Expression: 3+2-1 Step by Step Solve the Expression: 9-3+4-2 Step by Step

Continue Your Math Journey

Master Addition and subtraction first, then advance to these related topics that build on your fraction skills

Topics Learned in Later Sections

Multiplication and DivisionParentheses

Practice by Question Type

Choose your preferred learning style and practice format for fraction problems
4 Numbers 3 Numbers Complete the missing numbers Large Numbers More than Four Numbers Small Numbers Solving the problem