Objective

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to understand and apply the concept of order of operations in mathematical expressions.

Materials and Prep

• Pencil
• Blank paper
• Calculator (optional)

No prior knowledge is required for this lesson.

Activities

1. Create an Oo Poster: Design a poster illustrating the order of operations using fun and colorful visuals. Include examples of expressions and their correct evaluation steps.
2. Expression Challenge: Write down a list of 10 mathematical expressions involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Solve each expression using the correct order of operations. Time yourself and see how quickly you can solve them all correctly.
3. Calculator Game: Use a calculator (if available) to create a game. Write down a series of expressions on separate cards. Shuffle the cards and draw one at a time. Solve the expression using the calculator and earn points for correct answers. Challenge yourself to beat your previous high score.

Talking Points

• What is the order of operations?
  The order of operations is a set of rules that tells us the order in which to perform mathematical operations in an expression. It helps us solve complex expressions in a systematic and consistent way.
• Why do we need the order of operations?
  Without the order of operations, different people might solve the same expression in different ways, leading to confusion and incorrect results. Following the order of operations ensures that everyone arrives at the same correct answer.
• What is the acronym for remembering the order of operations?
  The acronym is PEMDAS, which stands for Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division (from left to right), and Addition and Subtraction (from left to right).
• How do we apply the order of operations?
  We start by solving any operations inside parentheses first, then we evaluate any exponents. After that, we perform multiplication and division from left to right, and finally, we perform addition and subtraction from left to right.
• Can you give an example of applying the order of operations?
  Sure! Let's solve the expression: 4 + 2 * 3 - 1. According to the order of operations, we first multiply: 2 * 3 = 6. Then we add: 4 + 6 = 10. Finally, we subtract: 10 - 1 = 9. So the answer is 9.