Parentheses, Brackets, or Braces in Math Expressions

When we do math, sometimes we need to tell the person solving the problem which part to do first. We can do this by using symbols like parentheses ( ), brackets [ ], and braces { }.

These symbols help us organize numbers and operations (like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) so that everyone solves the problem in the same order.

Example:
Let's look at an example expression:
5 + (3 × 2)

Without parentheses, we might just add 5 and 3 first, but the parentheses tell us to multiply 3 and 2 first. So we do:

•  3 × 2 = 6

Then, we add 5:

•  5 + 6 = 11

Now, let’s use brackets and braces:
[5 + {2 × (3 + 4)}]

In this expression, we do the math inside the parentheses first:
- (3 + 4) = 7

Then, we do the math inside the braces:
- 2 × 7 = 14

Finally, we do the math inside the square brackets:
- 5 + 14 = 19

Hence,

[5+{2 × 7}]

=[5+14]

=19

Practice on the given worksheet, and let's evaluate together!