McGraw-Hill's Top 50 Skills For A Top Score: ASVAB Reading and Math

Skill 28 Order Your Operations

In a math calculation that involves more than one operation, you can get different answers depending on the order in which you perform the operations. For example, consider this math problem:

Depending on the order in which you multiply, add, subtract, divide, and apply the exponent, you can get different answers. But don’t worry. There are specific rules for cases like this, and if you follow them, you will get the correct answer.

Here’s what you do. Follow this order:

1. Perform the operations within the parentheses and brackets.

2. Apply the powers or exponents.

3. Multiply and divide in order from left ...