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BODMAS Calculator

Type any arithmetic expression and see it evaluated step by step — Brackets first, then Orders (powers & roots), then Division & Multiplication (left to right), then Addition & Subtraction (left to right). Also known as PEMDAS or BIDMAS.

Order of operations calculator

Use × or * for multiply  |  ÷ or / for divide  |  ^ for powers  |  √ for square root  |  ( ) for brackets

Step by step calculations

B rackets O rders D ivision M ultiplication A ddition S ubtraction

BODMAS Calculator Explained

Core concepts, classroom applications, and plain-English explanations for all audiences.

When does this actually matter?

Every time you type a formula into Excel or Google Sheets — =2+3*4 — the software uses BODMAS to decide whether the answer is 14 or 20. Scientific calculators follow it. Programming languages follow it. Get the order wrong and every formula you write will silently produce the wrong number.

The classic example

"What is 2 + 3 × 4?"

Wrong: (2 + 3) × 4 = 5 × 4 = 20

Right: 2 + (3 × 4) = 2 + 12

Result: 14 — multiply before adding

If you want 20, write it with brackets: (2 + 3) × 4

Common mistakes

  • ✗ Left-to-right for everything: 12 ÷ 4 × 3 is NOT 12 ÷ 12 = 1. Division and multiplication are done left to right: 3 × 3 = 9.
  • ✗ Forgetting brackets are first: Always evaluate inside brackets before anything else, regardless of what operator is inside.

BODMAS = BIDMAS = PEMDAS

Different countries use different acronyms but the rule is identical. "Orders" and "Indices" and "Exponents" all mean powers and roots.

Good to know

Understanding order of operations

B
Common mistake
Brackets change everything
Brackets are evaluated first, regardless of what's inside them. This is why 2 + 3 × 4 and (2 + 3) × 4 give different answers. Students often add first because it appears first — but multiplication has higher priority unless overridden by brackets.
2 + 3 × 4
= 2 + 12 ← multiply first
= 14

(2 + 3) × 4
= 5 × 4 ← brackets first
= 20
O
Orders: powers and roots
Orders means powers (exponents) and roots. They come after brackets but before multiplication and division. A common trap: -2² is -(2²) = -4, not (-2)² = 4. The square applies to 2, not to -2, unless you write brackets around it.
3 + 2^3
= 3 + 8 ← 2³ = 8 first
= 11

-3^2 = -(3²) = -9
(-3)^2 = 9 ← brackets matter!
DM
Division and Multiplication: left to right
Division and Multiplication have equal priority — they are not done in D-then-M order. When both appear in an expression, work through them strictly left to right. Getting this wrong is one of the most common BODMAS errors.
12 ÷ 4 × 3
= 3 × 3 ← ÷ comes first (left to right)
= 9

NOT: 12 ÷ 12 = 1 ← wrong!
AS
Addition and Subtraction: left to right
Like Division and Multiplication, Addition and Subtraction have equal priority and are evaluated left to right. BODMAS, BIDMAS and PEMDAS are all the same rule — just different acronyms used in different countries. The maths is identical.
10 - 3 + 2
= 7 + 2 ← subtract first (left to right)
= 9

NOT: 10 - 5 = 5 ← wrong!

BODMAS = BIDMAS = PEMDAS