Order of Operations with Exponents and Roots Practice Problems

Master PEMDAS with exponents and square roots! Practice order of operations problems step-by-step with detailed solutions and instant feedback.

📚Master Exponents and Roots in Order of Operations
  • Solve expressions with exponents following proper PEMDAS order
  • Calculate square roots and higher roots within complex expressions
  • Handle parentheses containing exponents and roots correctly
  • Apply exponent rules including zero power and negative bases
  • Work through multi-step problems with mixed operations systematically
  • Identify and avoid common mistakes in order of operations

Understanding Powers and Roots

Complete explanation with examples

Order of Operations - Exponents and Roots

The second step in the order of operations is - exponents and roots!

2 English Order of Operations Exponents

Immediately after dealing with parentheses, we move on to exponents and roots!
Pay attention - even within parentheses, it's very important to maintain the correct order of operations!
Exponent - multiply the base by itself the number of times shown in the exponent (the small number on the top right).
Root - half power - which positive number when multiplied by itself will give the number written under the root.

Detailed explanation

Practice Powers and Roots

Test your knowledge with 24 quizzes

\( 6 - 3 + 5 \times 2^2 = \)

Examples with solutions for Powers and Roots

Step-by-step solutions included
Exercise #1

10:222= 10:2-2^2=

Step-by-Step Solution

The given mathematical expression is 10:222 10:2-2^2 .

According to the order of operations (often remembered by the acronym PEMDAS/BODMAS), we perform calculations in the following sequence:

  • Parentheses/Brackets
  • Exponents/Orders (i.e., powers and roots)
  • Multiplication and Division (from left to right)
  • Addition and Subtraction (from left to right)

In this expression, there are no parentheses, but there is an exponent: 222^2. We calculate the exponent first:

22=42^2 = 4

Substituting back into the expression, we have:

10:24 10:2-4

Next, we perform the division from left to right. Here, ":" is interpreted as division:

10÷2=5 10 \div 2 = 5

Now, substitute this back into the expression:

54 5 - 4

The final step is to perform the subtraction:

54=1 5 - 4 = 1

Therefore, the answer is 1 1 .

Answer:

1

Video Solution
Exercise #2

3×3+32= ? 3\times3+3^2=\text{ ?}

Step-by-Step Solution

First we need to remind ourselves of the order of operations:

  1. Parentheses

  2. Exponents and Roots

  3. Multiplication and Division

  4. Addition and Subtraction

There are no parentheses in this problem, therefore we will start with exponents:

3 * 3 + 3² =

3 * 3 + 9 =

Let's continue to the next step—multiplication operations:

3 * 3 + 9 =

9 + 9 =

Finally, we are left with a simple addition exercise:

9 + 9 = 18

Answer:

18

Video Solution
Exercise #3

832:3= 8-3^2:3=

Step-by-Step Solution

Let's solve the expression step by step using the order of operations, often remembered by the acronym PEMDAS, which stands for Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division (from left to right), and Addition and Subtraction (from left to right).

The given expression is: 832:3= 8-3^2:3=

Step 1: Evaluate Exponents
The expression has an exponent, which we need to evaluate first. The exponent is 323^2.
Calculate 323^2 which equals 99.
Now the expression becomes: 89:3 8 - 9 : 3

Step 2: Division
Next, perform the division operation. Here we divide 99 by 33.
Calculate 9:39 : 3 which equals 33.
Now the expression becomes: 83 8 - 3

Step 3: Subtraction
Finally, perform the subtraction.
Calculate 838 - 3 which equals 55.

Therefore, the solution to the expression 832:38-3^2:3 is 55.

Answer:

5 5

Video Solution
Exercise #4

4+2+52= 4+2+5^2=

Step-by-Step Solution

To solve the expression 4+2+52 4 + 2 + 5^2 , we need to follow the order of operations, often remembered by the acronym PEMDAS (Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division, Addition and Subtraction).

  • Step 1: Calculate Exponents
    In the expression we have an exponent: 525^2. This means 5 is raised to the power of 2. We calculate this first:
    52=255^2 = 25.

  • Step 2: Perform Addition
    Now, substitute the calculated value back into the expression:
    4+2+254 + 2 + 25.
    Perform the additions from left to right:
    4+2=64 + 2 = 6
    Finally add the result to 25:
    6+25=316 + 25 = 31.

Therefore, the final answer is 3131.

Answer:

31

Video Solution
Exercise #5

4+22= 4+2^2=

Step-by-Step Solution

To solve the expression 4+22 4 + 2^2 , follow the order of operations, often remembered by the acronym PEMDAS (Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division (from left to right), Addition and Subtraction (from left to right)).

Let's break down the expression:

  • Step 1: Identify any exponents.
    The expression contains an exponent: 22 2^2 . To evaluate this, multiply 2 by itself: 2×2 2 \times 2 , which equals 4.
    So, 22=4 2^2 = 4 .
  • Step 2: Perform addition.
    Now, substitute the result back into the original expression:
    4+4 4 + 4 .
    Add these numbers together: 4 + 4 equals 8.

Therefore, the answer to the expression 4+22 4 + 2^2 is 8.

Answer:

8

Video Solution

Frequently Asked Questions

What comes first in order of operations: exponents or multiplication?

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Exponents come before multiplication in the order of operations (PEMDAS/BODMAS). After handling parentheses, you solve all exponents and roots first, then move to multiplication and division from left to right.

How do you solve square roots in order of operations problems?

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Square roots are solved in the second step of PEMDAS, right after parentheses and alongside exponents. Calculate the square root value first, then continue with multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction in order.

What does any number to the power of 0 equal?

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Any number raised to the power of 0 equals 1, regardless of the base number. For example: 5⁰ = 1, 100⁰ = 1, and even 1230⁰ = 1. This is a fundamental exponent rule.

Do you solve exponents and roots from left to right?

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Unlike multiplication/division and addition/subtraction, the order of solving exponents and roots doesn't matter as long as you solve them all before moving to the next step. You can work from left to right or tackle them in any order.

How do you handle exponents inside parentheses?

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When exponents appear inside parentheses, follow the complete order of operations within the parentheses first. Solve exponents and roots inside the parentheses, then complete any remaining operations before removing the parentheses.

What are the basic square root formulas I need to know?

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Key square root formulas include: √(a×b) = √a × √b for products, √(a/b) = √a / √b for quotients, and ⁿ√ᵐ√a = ⁿᵐ√a for nested roots. These help simplify complex root expressions.

Why do order of operations rules matter in math?

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Order of operations ensures everyone gets the same answer when solving mathematical expressions. Without these rules (PEMDAS), expressions like 4² - √25 + 10 could be interpreted multiple ways, leading to different incorrect answers.

What's the difference between 2³ and 3²?

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2³ means 2 × 2 × 2 = 8 (multiply 2 by itself 3 times), while 3² means 3 × 3 = 9 (multiply 3 by itself 2 times). The base number and exponent position determine the calculation method and final result.

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