5th Grade Order of Operations Worksheets
Fresh practice, ready to print. Answer key included.
Whole-number expressions that have to be worked in order: multiplication and division before addition and subtraction, then parentheses, then brackets around parentheses. Every division comes out even, and no step along the way is negative.
Make it yours
Or start with a ready-made version.
What's on the worksheet
- No parentheses
Expressions such as 3 + 4 × 5, where × and ÷ happen before + and −.
- With parentheses
Expressions such as (3 + 4) × 5, where the parentheses change the order.
- With brackets
Expressions such as 2 × [3 + (4 × 2)], with brackets around a group that already has parentheses.
How it works: a quick refresher
The rules this worksheet practices, then one problem worked from start to finish.
| Strategy | How it works |
|---|---|
| Parentheses and brackets first | Do the innermost group, then the brackets around it, then the rest. |
| Then multiply and divide | Left to right. 12 ÷ 3 × 2 is (12 ÷ 3) × 2 = 8, not 12 ÷ 6. |
| Then add and subtract | Also left to right, after every × and ÷ in that step is finished. |
| A 5 is not a clue to add first | In 3 + 4 × 5 the 4 × 5 happens first, so the value is 23, not 35. |
| Every division here is exact | You should not have a remainder or a negative number at any step. If you do, the order is off. |
Worked example
Find 2 × [3 + (4 × 2)].
- 1Innermost parentheses: 4 × 2 = 8.
- 2The bracket is now 3 + 8 = 11.
- 3Multiply: 2 × 11 = 22.
Ready-made versions
Three fixed versions you can link to or share. Each is a PDF with its own answer key.
- 5th Grade Order of Operations Worksheets, version 1Worksheet PDFAnswer key PDF
- 5th Grade Order of Operations Worksheets, version 2Worksheet PDFAnswer key PDF
- 5th Grade Order of Operations Worksheets, version 3Worksheet PDFAnswer key PDF
Grade level and standard
Written for 5th grade math (operations) and aligned to CCSS 5.OA.A.1. It also works as review in later grades.
Common questions
- Is there an answer key?
- Yes. Every worksheet has a matching answer key with each answer worked on the same grid or layout as the question. The worksheet ID printed at the bottom of each page pairs a sheet with its key.
- Are there exponents on these pages?
- No. The expressions use addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, parentheses, and brackets only.
- What if my child gets a remainder or a negative number halfway through?
- That step is not the one these problems use. Every division was chosen to come out even, and every subtraction was chosen to stay at zero or above.
- How many different versions are there?
- About a million per skill. Each time you press the button the problems are generated fresh, so you can print a different version for every student, a retake, or another night of practice.
- Are the worksheets free?
- Yes. They are free to print and copy for your home or classroom, with no sign-up.