Learning Map

Order of operations

Understand and apply the conventional order of operations (PEMDAS/BODMAS) to carry out calculations involving the four operations

How to tell they’ve got it

Tick these off as you see them — no test required.

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Try this together

If your child sees '8 + 4 × 3', do they get 20 — not 36 — because they know to do the multiplication before the addition?

Where this sits on the map

Stuck here? Check the skills it builds on first. Confident? Here’s what it unlocks.

Builds on
Brackets in Expressionsages 10–11The full BODMAS/PEMDAS convention extends understanding of grouping symbols to all operations
Order of operationsthis skill · ages 10–11
Unlocks
Using Simple Formulaeages 10–11Substituting into formulae requires understanding order of operations
Ratio (age 11+)ages 11–12Order of operations with powers/roots extends Y6 BODMAS understanding
Using inverse operationsages 11–12Understanding order of operations (BODMAS) is required before studying how operations undo each other via inverse relationships
Multi-step problems: choosing operationsages 10–11Choosing operations benefits from order-of-operations understanding
Writing Algebraic Equationsages 10–11Solving equations uses order-of-operations understanding

solid = must come firstdashed = helps

Curriculum alignment

Candidate matches to official curriculum codes — machine-suggested, unreviewed (v0.1).

Show candidate curriculum codes · 3 ACARA · 2 NSW · 3 VIC

Australian Curriculum v9 candidate

AC9M6A02low confidenceYear 6 · Algebra

find unknown values in numerical equations involving brackets and combinations of arithmetic operations, using the properties of numbers and operations

AC9M4N06low confidenceYear 4 · Number

develop efficient strategies and use appropriate digital tools for solving problems involving addition and subtraction, and multiplication and division where there is no remainder

AC9M4A01low confidenceYear 4 · Algebra

find unknown values in numerical equations involving addition and subtraction, using the properties of numbers and operations

NSW syllabus codes & stages only

MA3-MR-02medium confidenceMathematics K-10 · Stage 3
MA3-AR-01low confidenceMathematics K-10 · Stage 3

Victorian Curriculum 2.0 codes & levels only

VC2M4N06low confidenceMathematics · Level 4 · Number strand
VC2M6A02low confidenceMathematics · Level 6 · Algebra strand
VC2M5A01low confidenceMathematics · Level 5 · Algebra strand

These are candidate alignments generated by semantic matching — machine-suggested and unreviewed (v0.1), not official or verified mappings. For official curriculum content see australiancurriculum.edu.au, curriculum.nsw.edu.au and f10.vcaa.vic.edu.au. Don’t rely on them for registration or compliance purposes.

Nearby on the map

All Multiplication & Division skills →