What is BODMAS And BIDMAS | Mathematics for Grade 10 PDF Download

What is BODMAS?

BODMAS is an acronym to help children remember the order of mathematical operations – the correct order in which to solve maths problems. Bodmas stands for B-Brackets, O-Orders (powers/indices or roots), D-Division, M-Multiplication, A-Addition, S-Subtraction.

What is the BODMAS rule

The Bodmas rule follows the order of the BODMAS acronym ie  B – Brackets, O – Order of powers or roots, D – Division, M – Multiplication A – Addition, and S – Subtraction. The BODMAS rule states that mathematical expressions with multiple operators need to be solved from left to right in the order of BODMAS. Division and Multiplication are considered as interchangeable and depend on which comes first in the expression, as are Addition and Subtraction.
Some children use the Bodmas rule as a mnemonic (like Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain is used to remember the colours Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet).

What is BIDMAS?

The BIDMAS rule is an alternative acronym to BODMAS to help remember the order of operations. The only difference is that there’s an I instead of O. The meaning is the same. Bidmas is the term more commonly used in primary schools today. Bidmas stands for Brackets, Indices, Division/Multiplication, Addition/Subtraction.

Mathematical Operations

“Mathematical operations” are what you do to the numbers given. The four main operations are:

• addition (+);
• subtraction (-);
• multiplication (x);
• and division (÷).

BODMAS Meaning
When presented with a number sentence containing more than one operation (such as 3 + 4 x 2) the operations cannot be completed from left to right, but instead in their order of “importance”, which is what BODMAS stands for.
BODMAS stands for:

• Brackets
• Orders
• Division/Multiplication
• Addition/Subtraction

“Orders” means square roots and indices (which you may know as square numbers, powers or exponents).

BIDMAS meaning

• Brackets
• Indices
• Division/Multiplication
• Addition/Subtraction

Here “Indices” (square numbers, powers or exponents) are used instead of Orders.

B - Brackets
Complete anything in the brackets first

O - Orders
Next apply any orders of - square roots, indices etc.

D&M - Division or Multiplication
Then do any divisions or multiplications (if both are in the same calculation, complete them left to right)

A&S- Addition or Subtraction
Lastly, complete any additions or subtractions (if both are in the same calculation, do them from left to right)

What does order of operations mean?

This is the order in which certain operations must be completed, from brackets first to addition and subtraction last. It is important that division and multiplication are represented alongside each other as they are of equal importance (so must be completed from left to right, whichever appears first) – this is the same for addition and subtraction.

BODMAS Examples

Below are some examples of BODMAS questions and answers children might see in schools. We’ve given you the right answer and at least one different answer to show you where children might go wrong.

BODMAS (BIDMAS) Questions and Answers
Question 1: 6 + 2 x 7

The correct answer is 20.
The multiplication must be completed first (2 x 7 = 14) and then the addition (6 + 14 = 20).
This may be commonly miscalculated as 56 by working from left to right (6 + 2 = 8, 8 x 7 = 56).

Question 2: 3 x (2 + 4) + 5²

The correct answer is 43.
The BODMAS rule states we should calculate the Brackets first (2 + 4 = 6), then the Orders (5² = 25), then any Division or Multiplication (3 x 6 (the answer to the brackets) = 18), and finally any Addition or Subtraction (18 + 25 = 43).
Children can get the wrong answer of 35 by working from left to right.