Order of Operations (add, subtract, multiply)

Before handing out the worksheet, briefly introduce the concept with a short oral warm-up or a visual model on the board. Encourage students to talk through their thinking as they work: "What strategy are you using? How do you know that is right?" After completing the worksheet, review any missed problems together and discuss the reasoning rather than just the answer. For extra support, let students use manipulatives or draw pictures alongside the written problems. These order of operations worksheets work well as daily practice, homework, or a focused review activity.

These order of operations worksheets for 3rd grade give students the structured, hands-on practice they need to build confidence and fluency. Students work through a range of problem formats, from visual models and diagrams to written equations and word problems, so they encounter order of operations from every angle. Each worksheet is designed to build on prior knowledge while introducing the level of challenge appropriate for 3rd grade. Practicing order of operations at this stage strengthens the mathematical foundations that support more advanced concepts in later grades.

This worksheet is designed for 3rd Grade students (Ages 8-9), aligned to Common Core standard 3.OA.5. It can also be used as review for early students at the next grade level or as an introduction for advanced students.

Yes. This worksheet works for homeschool, classroom, and tutoring settings. Print individual pages for targeted practice, or print the full set as a packet. Works great as a morning warm-up, independent center activity, or fast-finisher task.

Third grade introduces the concept that multiplication and division are performed before addition and subtraction in an expression without parentheses (CCSS 3.OA). This is a precursor to the full order of operations (PEMDAS) formalized in fifth grade (5.OA.A.1). Third graders work with simple two-operation expressions to develop this foundational understanding.

Use concrete examples to show that order matters: 2 + 3 × 4 can equal 20 or 14 depending on which operation is done first. Show that 14 (multiply first) is the mathematically agreed-upon convention. Keep expressions simple — avoid parentheses and exponents at this level. Worksheets with step-by-step guided solutions showing which operation to solve first model the reasoning process.

Without consistent order of operations, the same expression could have different values for different people — making mathematical communication impossible. Third graders encounter this implicitly whenever they evaluate two-step word problems. Explicit instruction on the convention prepares students for the full PEMDAS rule in fifth grade and algebraic thinking in middle school.