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The order of operations is a set of rules that tells you which part of a calculation to do first. Without these rules, the same calculation could give different answers depending on the order you choose. The SET 11+ exam tests this topic directly and also relies on it indirectly in multi-step problems.
The order of operations is remembered using the acronym BODMAS:
| Letter | Stands for | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| B | Brackets | Do anything inside brackets first |
| O | Orders | Powers (squares, cubes) and roots |
| D | Division | Do division and multiplication... |
| M | Multiplication | ...from left to right (they are equal priority) |
| A | Addition | Do addition and subtraction... |
| S | Subtraction | ...from left to right (they are equal priority) |
Key Point: Division and Multiplication have the same priority — work from left to right. Addition and Subtraction also have the same priority — work from left to right.
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