Order of Operations Calculator with Steps
Type a problem with parentheses, exponents, and any mix of + − × ÷. See which part goes first, what it turns into, and why, one line at a time.
Most wrong answers on these problems come from doing the right arithmetic in the wrong order. This calculator writes the problem out the way a teacher would on the board: one operation per line, with the rule that picked it. Put it next to your own work and find the first line where the two are different.
Try one:
Practice
Every problem here has a whole-number answer, and every one gives a different, wrong answer if you just work left to right.
The order of operations, and the mistakes it catches
| P | Parentheses (and brackets or braces). Finish what is inside first, starting with the innermost pair. |
| E | Exponents. Powers like 3² come next. |
| M D | Multiplication and division. These are one level. Work left to right. |
| A S | Addition and subtraction. These are one level too. Work left to right. |
- PEMDAS does not mean multiply before you divide. In 48 ÷ 6 × 2 the division is on the left, so it goes first: 8 × 2 = 16. The same goes for adding and subtracting: 10 − 4 + 3 is 9, not 3.
- −3² and (−3)² are different. Without parentheses the exponent only touches the 3, so −3² = −9. With them, the whole −3 is squared, so (−3)² = 9.
- A number against a parenthesis means multiply. 2(3 + 4) is 2 × (3 + 4).
- Stacked exponents go top down. 2^3^2 means 2 to the power 3², which is 2⁹ = 512.
- A fraction bar groups like parentheses. If your problem has a long bar with 6 + 4 on top and 2 underneath, type it as (6 + 4) ÷ 2.
- Same rule, other names. BODMAS, BIDMAS, BEDMAS, and GEMDAS all describe this exact order.
- How to type it: use * or x for times, / for divide, and ^ for an exponent. [ ] and { } work like parentheses. Division that doesn’t come out even is kept as an exact fraction, and as a decimal if you typed decimals.
Everything runs in your browser. Your last problem is saved on this device only.