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Order of Operations Mystery Picture Maths Digital Activity

Sixteen order-of-operations expressions using parentheses reveal a mystery picture as students solve them correctly in a self-checking online activity, with a matching printable version included.
Year groups
Years 6–8
File type
PDF
Preparation
Print ready

Updated May 17, 2023

Subject
Maths
Topic
Matemaths, Order of Operations
Resource types
Activities
Preparation
Print ready

From the author

About this resource

Ignite the enthusiasm of your 5th-grade students with the thrilling Order of Operations Jigsaw Puzzle Activity—a dynamic and enjoyable way to practice essential maths skills while having a blast.

This engaging resource requires no preparation on your part, making it a hassle-free addition to your maths curriculum.

With its self-checking feature and the added intrigue of uncovering a mystery picture, this activity is sure to captivate your students' attention and keep them actively engaged in their learning journey.

Challenge your students to solve 16 expressions involving parentheses and no exponents.

As they correctly answer each question, an exciting mystery picture will gradually be revealed, creating an element of excitement and curiosity in their maths practice. This enticing feature serves as a powerful motivator, inspiring students to strive for accuracy and proficiency in their problem-solving abilities.

In addition to the interactive digital format, a printable copy of the questions is included, providing flexibility in your teaching approach and accommodating different classroom settings.

The Order of Operations Jigsaw Puzzle Activity is not only engaging but also versatile. It's the perfect solution for early finishers, end-of-year activities, and invigorating back-to-school challenges. With its compatibility across laptops, tablets, and smartphones, this activity ensures accessibility for all learners, empowering them to participate and succeed.

Effortless implementation is a key advantage of this resource. Being an online activity with interactive pages, it requires minimal preparation on your part. Simply share the link with your students, and they can embark on their maths adventure right away. There's no need to configure locks or hide clues—everything they need is conveniently accessible online. Furthermore, no Google Classroom or Microsoft Teams logins are necessary, simplifying the process and ensuring a smooth experience for both you and your students.

As a teacher who has utilized this activity successfully, including as a sub-plan in the 6th grade, I can personally attest to the high level of student engagement and enthusiasm it generates. The mystery picture concept truly captivates students, motivating them to eagerly work through the expressions and solidify their understanding of the order of operations.

In the classroom

Teaching tips & learning objectives

Learning objectives

  • Evaluate numerical expressions containing parentheses using the correct order of operations.

  • Apply addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division in the correct sequence within a single multi-step expression.

Teaching tips

  • Assign as a no-prep early-finisher task or sub-plan activity, since the digital version requires only sharing a link with students.

  • Use the printable page as a backup for students without reliable device access, or as a written record of work alongside the digital version.

  • Because none of the 16 expressions include exponents, this is well suited as an introductory order-of-operations activity before exponents are added to the mix.

Skills covered

  • Order of operations with parentheses — students evaluate multi-step expressions such as '8 ÷ 2 ⋅ (5 + 1)' and '5 + (9 + 15) ÷ 6' by applying the correct operation sequence.

  • Multi-operation computation — each expression combines two or more of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, requiring students to track several steps to reach a single correct answer.

  • Self-checking accuracy — because a correct answer is what reveals the mystery picture, students are motivated to verify their own work before moving to the next expression.

Good to know

Questions teachers ask about this resource

What kind of expressions do students solve in this activity?

Students solve 16 multi-step numerical expressions that combine addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division with parentheses; none of the expressions include exponents.

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Resource details

Concepts & topics

Core concepts

  • Order of operations

  • Parentheses in expressions

  • Multi-step computation

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