Brackets in Expressions · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Brackets in Expressions

Mathematics · Multiplication & Division · ages 10-11
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. What is (6 + 4) × 2?

    Answer: ______________

  2. What is 4 × (6 + 2)?

    • 26
    • 12
    • 32
    • 48

  3. In 2 × (3 + 4), what do you compute first?

    • 2 × 3
    • 3 + 4
    • 2 × 4

  4. Adding parentheses in different places in an expression can never change the answer.

    Circle one:   True   False

  5. What is 5 × [(10 - 6) + 3]?

    Answer: ______________

  6. Which parentheses placement makes 2 + 3 × 4 equal 20?

    • (2 + 3) × 4
    • 2 + (3 × 4)
    • 2 + 3 × 4

  7. What is 3 × [2 + (8 − 5)]?

    • 9
    • 25
    • 18
    • 15

  8. Dan writes 10 - (2 + 3) = 5. He says without brackets, 10 - 2 + 3 would give 11 instead. Is Dan right?

    Circle one:   True   False

  9. Priya wrote 6 × (1 + 2) and solved it as 6 × 1 + 2 = 8. What mistake did she make?

    • She solved the brackets first, correctly
    • She multiplied before finishing the brackets
    • She added instead of multiplying

  10. Which expression equals 50?

    • 4 × (3 + 9)
    • 5 × (7 + 3)
    • 6 × (5 + 4)
    • 2 × (10 + 12)
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Brackets in Expressions W1-mt_8jFSnXxqQD-s1

  1. 20 · The answer is 20 because 6 + 4 = 10, then 10 times 2 = 20.
  2. 32 · 32 is correct because brackets come first: 6 + 2 = 8, then 4 × 8 = 32.
  3. 3 + 4 · The parentheses around 3 + 4 tell you to solve that part first.
  4. False · Parentheses change which part you solve first, so they can change the answer. For example, (1 + 2) × 5 = 15, but 1 + 2 × 5 = 11.
  5. 35 · The answer is 35 because 10 - 6 = 4, 4 + 3 = 7, and 5 times 7 = 35.
  6. (2 + 3) × 4 · (2 + 3) × 4 = 5 × 4 = 20. The other options leave multiplication happening first, which gives 14.
  7. 15 · 15 is correct: innermost 8 − 5 = 3, then 2 + 3 = 5, then 3 × 5 = 15.
  8. True · Dan is right on both: 10 - 5 = 5, while left to right 10 - 2 + 3 = 11.
  9. She multiplied before finishing the brackets · She should add 1 + 2 = 3 first, then multiply: 6 × 3 = 18. Splitting the bracket apart breaks the order.
  10. 5 × (7 + 3) · 5 × (7 + 3) equals 50 because 7 + 3 = 10 and 5 times 10 = 50.
Worksheet · LightMySky