Grade 5 Expressions: Expressions with Parentheses

Evaluate grouped expressions

What You'll Learn

Parentheses first
Apply order

📖Parentheses

Parentheses change the order of operations: work inside them first, then multiply and divide, then add and subtract. In (4 + 2) × 3, add first to get 6 × 3 = 18; without the parentheses, 4 + 2 × 3 = 10.

Worked examples

Real problems from the practice worksheets, solved one step at a time.

Example 1
12 + (14 − 9) × 6 = ?
1. Parentheses first: 14 − 9 = 5, so now you have 12 + 5 × 6.
2. Multiply before you add or subtract: 5 × 6 = 30, so now you have 12 + 30.
3. Add: 12 + 30 = 42.
4. So 12 + (14 − 9) × 6 = 42.
Answer: 42
Example 2
9 × (7 − 3) = ?
1. Parentheses first: 7 − 3 = 4, so now you have 9 × 4.
2. Multiply: 9 × 4 = 36.
3. So 9 × (7 − 3) = 36.
Answer: 36
Example 3
(12 + 12) × 9 = ?
1. Parentheses first: 12 + 12 = 24, so now you have 24 × 9.
2. Multiply: 24 × 9 = 216.
3. So (12 + 12) × 9 = 216.
Answer: 216