Solve Step-by-Step: 8 + 3 × 2 - 4² | Order of Operations Practice

Q: Why can't I just work from left to right like reading?

Math has special rules! BODMAS/PEMDAS ensures everyone gets the same answer. Without it, $ 8 + 3 \times 2 $ could mean different things to different people.

Q: What if I forget which operations come first?

Remember BODMAS: Brackets, Orders (powers), Division/Multiplication (left-to-right), Addition/Subtraction (left-to-right). Write it down until it becomes automatic!

Q: Do I really need to do multiplication before addition?

Always! Multiplication and division have higher priority than addition and subtraction. In $ 8 + 3 \times 2 $, you must calculate $ 3 \times 2 = 6 $ first.

Q: How do I handle negative results like -2?

Negative answers are completely normal! When $ 14 - 16 = -2 $, you're subtracting a larger number from a smaller one. Double-check your arithmetic to make sure it's correct.

Q: What's the difference between 4² and 4 × 2?

$ 4^2 $ means 4 × 4 = 16 (4 multiplied by itself), while 4 × 2 = 8. The small raised number (exponent) tells you how many times to multiply the base by itself.

Order of Operations with Mixed Arithmetic

$8 + 3 \times 2 - 4^2 =$

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Step-by-step written solution

Follow each step carefully to understand the complete solution

Understand the problem

$8 + 3 \times 2 - 4^2 =$

Step-by-step solution

First, follow the order of operations (BODMAS/BIDMAS):

Step 1: Calculate the exponent:
$4^2 = 16$

Step 2: Perform the multiplication:
$3 \times 2 = 6$

Step 3: Perform the addition and subtraction from left to right:
$8 + 6 - 16 = 14 - 16 = -2$

The correct result is: $-2$ .

Final Answer

$-2$

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

BODMAS Rule: Brackets, Orders (exponents), Division/Multiplication, Addition/Subtraction left-to-right
Technique: Calculate $4^2 = 16$ first, then $3 \times 2 = 6$
Check: Final calculation: $8 + 6 - 16 = 14 - 16 = -2$ ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Working left to right without following BODMAS
Don't calculate 8 + 3 = 11 first! This ignores order of operations and gives 11 × 2 - 16 = 6 instead of -2. Always complete exponents and multiplication before addition and subtraction.

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

What is the result of the following equation?

$36-4\div2$

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why can't I just work from left to right like reading?

Math has special rules! BODMAS/PEMDAS ensures everyone gets the same answer. Without it, $8 + 3 \times 2$ could mean different things to different people.

What if I forget which operations come first?

Remember BODMAS: Brackets, Orders (powers), Division/Multiplication (left-to-right), Addition/Subtraction (left-to-right). Write it down until it becomes automatic!

Do I really need to do multiplication before addition?

Always! Multiplication and division have higher priority than addition and subtraction. In $8 + 3 \times 2$ , you must calculate $3 \times 2 = 6$ first.

How do I handle negative results like -2?

Negative answers are completely normal! When $14 - 16 = -2$ , you're subtracting a larger number from a smaller one. Double-check your arithmetic to make sure it's correct.

What's the difference between 4² and 4 × 2?

$4^2$ means 4 × 4 = 16 (4 multiplied by itself), while 4 × 2 = 8. The small raised number (exponent) tells you how many times to multiply the base by itself.

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