Educational Songs with Free Worksheets

# Order of Operations – Advanced

An engaging rap song for teaching order of operations to students. Includes fun worksheets and multiple versions of the song to assist with scaffolding.

Available in two versions, this song for teaching order of operations in math introduces basic information about PEMDAS. The lyrics contain detailed information about order of operations problems and how to apply its principles in problem solving. In the Standard Version, simple PEMDAS problems and equations using numbers and symbols are used to illustrate important mathematics concepts. In the Advanced Version, exponents are introduced as well as algebraic equations. The accompanying classroom materials for each version include puzzles, order of operations printable worksheets, activities, and online resources that enhance the song and offer additional opportunities for learning.

The Standard Version of the song is suitable for upper elementary students learning steps and strategies for the Order of Operations (grade 5, grade 6) while the Advanced Version is more appropriate for middle school students and high school students learning algebra (grade 7, grade 8, grade 9, and grade 10).

This song is an excellent Order of Operations activity for the review of PEMDAS.
VERSE I
So if you're gonna learn some PEMDAS, we'll start off slow
what's three plus two plus five minus nine
just go from left to right and I swear you'll be fine
three and two is five, five and five is ten
ten minus nine is one, you're done my friend

But now I'm gonna throw in just a tiny little wrinkle
so if you PEMDAS brain can start to think well
what's three plus two plus five times four
you gotta multiply first if you wanna raise ya score
five times four is twenty, three plus two is five
five and twenty is twentyfive, you took a PEM-DAS on a test drive

CHORUS
P-E-M-D-A-S, the triple ‘o’, the order of operations
PEM-DAS the way I flow
P! parentheses by day
E! exponents at night, then
M! multiply
D! divide from left to right
S! subtract
a piece of cake, but that's the final step you take

VERSE II
Let's say you wanna take the square of negative eight
of course you go and punch right it in your calculate
you punch in "negative" then "eight" then "squared"
then you hit the equal sign because you think you're prepared

negative sixty-four, you're feeling high as a kite
but then your math mind says "hold up that ain't right"
it's not that my ti-83 just can't hack it
I just didn't put my negative eight inside the bracket

a negative times a negative's a positive, please
but not if you forget the parentheses

a calculator always follows PEMDAS to a tee
so it squared the eight first, then did the negative, see?

but parentheses negative eight squared, I'm sure
you'll get the right answer: positive sixty four

CHORUS
P-E-M-D-A-S, the triple ‘o’, the order of operations
PEM-DAS the way I flow
P! parentheses by day
E! exponents at night, then
M! multiply
D! divide from left to right
a piece of cake, but that's the final step you take

VERSE III
Turning from arithmetic into the algebraic section
you gotta do PEMDAS in the opposite direction
still gotta know the order of operations
try to solve for x in this here algebra equation:

two x to the third plus six equals twenty two
reverse PEMDAS, you know what you gotta do
deal with addition first, you’re a machine
take six from both sides, two x cubed is sixteen

division comes next, we keep clearing the slate
divide both sides by two, and x cubed equals eight
and then you guessed it, we’re doing exponents last
take the cube root of both sides, x is two, PEMDAS

CHORUS
P-E-M-D-A-S the triple ‘o’, the order of operations
PEM-DAS the way I flow
P! parentheses by day
E! exponents at night, then
M! multiply
D! divide from left to right
S! subtract
a piece of cake, but that's the final step you take

VERSE IV
So be sure to heed the every rule that herein I’m submittin’
but sometimes it comes down to the way it was written
‘cuz sometimes when it comes to the order of operations
you gotta make your own interpretation

WHAT
like what if you wanna solve z to the y
you write "y" real small, and you raise it up high
but if you're raising z to the y to the x
do y to the x first, then z to that power next
unless brackets surround z to the y, that's a priority
the brackets are KING, they got authority

CHORUS
P-E-M-D-A-S the triple ‘o’, the order of operations
PEM-DAS the way I flow
P! parentheses by day
E! exponents at night, then
M! multiply
D! divide from left to right
S! subtract
a piece of cake, but that's the final step you take

The sources listed here are some of the best we found for the grade levels indicated.

Order of Operations Article
An excellent article to read for older students and teachers.

Mathblag.Order of Operations Misconceptions

RESOURCES and ACTIVITIES

Math-aids.Order of Operations
Order of Operations worksheets for younger students or introductory classes

Math is Fun.
This site walks students through the order of operations using PEMDAS, and includes sample problems for review and practice. A great site for younger students

Math.com.Lessons
This site offers an opportunity to have a problem explained in detail and then allows students to participate in interactive problem solving. Excellent for review or individual study.

Math Goodies
This site provides a straightforward explanation of the order of operations, clearly explaining the “do’s” and “don’ts” of solving math problems with the correct order of operations. It features a set of completed example problems, and practice problems for students to solve on their own. Lots of levels of problem solving.

Amby.com. Tutorial
This is a tutorial that provides opportunity for practicing order of operations through interactive problems.

Nat. Council of Teachers of Math
The NCTM site is a lesson plan designed around teaching, and playing, Order of Operations Bingo. Students use their understanding of operations to solve problems within the context of this familiar game.

Sparknotes
This site illustrates how to solve algebraic equations. Too much advertising to use in class, however, you can copy and paste the examples.

Purplemath
This is a great site for teachers or beginning algebra students. Long and detailed with multiple examples.

This game site has games, etc. for all levels. Some games require flash or power point, but many are accessible. They vary in degree of difficulty. Some will take you to other excellent sites.

## Fractions and Decimals

An engaging rap song for teaching students how to convert fractions and decimals. Includes fun worksheets and multiple versions of the song to assist with scaffolding.
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