Myriora Maths › Maths foundations › Chapter 7: Order of operations and powers

The power of brackets

Ages 7–9Chapter 7 · Lesson 2

In this lesson

Brackets are always done first.
Moving them can change the answer, especially with take away and divide.
They're handy in stories, like a group all paying the same.
And in puzzles, try each place, one at a time.

Your turn

Which of these makes twenty?

Show the answer

Two times three, plus seven, is thirteen. Two plus three times seven is twenty-three. And two times, in brackets, three plus seven, is two times ten: twenty!

The common mistake

Here's a question that catches lots of people. Is ten take away four take away two the same as ten take away, in brackets, four take away two? Some people think brackets don't matter with take away. But the first one is four, and the second one is eight!

Try it at home

Write 4 numbers and signs on cards, then take turns placing brackets to make the biggest answer.

Read the whole lesson

Hello, and welcome to Myriora Maths! Here are the same numbers and the same signs: two plus three times four. Put brackets in different places, and you get different answers! Let's see how much power brackets have.

Without brackets, two plus three times four is fourteen. With brackets round two plus three, it's five times four: twenty. Same numbers, same signs, different answers!

Brackets matter a lot with take away. Twenty, take away eight, take away two: that's twelve, take away two, which is ten. But twenty take away, in brackets, eight take away two, is twenty take away six: fourteen!

And with divide. Twenty-four divided by four, divided by two, is three. But twenty-four divided by, in brackets, four divided by two, is twenty-four divided by two: twelve!

Brackets are useful in stories. Two children and three adults go to the zoo. Everyone pays four pounds. That's two plus three people, in brackets, times four: twenty pounds!

Here's a puzzle. Where do the brackets go, to make three plus five times two take away one equal fifteen? Try each place, one at a time. Brackets round three plus five: eight times two is sixteen, take away one is fifteen. That's it!

Let's try one together. Where do the brackets go, to make six plus four times three equal thirty? Say it out loud!

Round six plus four! Six plus four is ten, and ten times three is thirty.

Your turn! Which of these makes twenty? Pick the right card. You've got fifteen seconds, or pause the video. Go!

Time's up! Two times three, plus seven, is thirteen. Two plus three times seven is twenty-three. And two times, in brackets, three plus seven, is two times ten: twenty!

Quick review. Brackets are always done first. Moving them can change the answer, especially with take away and divide. They're handy in stories, like a group all paying the same. And in puzzles, try each place, one at a time. See you next time!