This Bankers Tutorial article is independent educational material. Examples are illustrative, and changing rules or examination requirements should be checked at the official source.
01 / UNDERSTANDING
Understand the idea
Neat intermediate steps protect the meaning of an expression. They also reveal whether an error is a calculation slip or an accidental rewrite of what the question actually asks.
02 / UNDERSTANDING
The concept in context
An expression has a structure, not just a left-to-right list of symbols. Evaluate grouped terms first, then powers where present, then multiplication and division at equal precedence from left to right, followed by addition and subtraction at equal precedence. Brackets can deliberately change the order and therefore change the result.
A mnemonic is useful only when its equal-precedence rules are understood. Multiplication does not universally happen before division merely because its letter appears first in a remembered word. Write intermediate lines that preserve the expression’s meaning; changing a bracket or dropping a negative sign creates a different problem rather than a shorter solution.
03 / UNDERSTANDING
A worked learning case
Original educational case. In the original expression 18 ÷ 3 × 2 + 4, division and multiplication are processed left to right, giving 6 × 2 + 4 = 16. Evaluating 3 × 2 first would incorrectly give 7. In contrast, 18 ÷ (3 × 2) + 4 really is 7, because the brackets specify a different structure.
ORIGINAL EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE
Try it before you check.
Original practice: Evaluate 24 ÷ 6 × 2 + 3.
Show the answer and reasoning
11.
Division and multiplication have equal precedence, so process them left to right: 24 ÷ 6 = 4, then 4 × 2 = 8. Add 3 to obtain 11. Multiplying 6 by 2 first would introduce an unstated grouping and incorrectly change the structure of the original expression.
Two traps to watch for.
- Treating multiplication as always earlier than division.
- Dropping brackets or negative signs in intermediate working.
YOUR TOPIC-SPECIFIC LEARNING MAP
Turn understanding into practice
Mark grouped terms before calculating.
Process equal-precedence operations left to right.
Compare with a bracketed version deliberately.
Explain the idea, apply it to a new situation, then check what changed in your reasoning.
BANKERS TUTORIAL · SOURCE NOTES
Keep the source alongside your notes.
Official links provide subject context and authoritative reference material. This guide’s explanation, scenario and question are original Bankers Tutorial learning content.
- www.ibps.in https://www.ibps.in/
- www.ibps.in https://www.ibps.in/index.php/faq/
For IBPS & RRB preparation, check the current official notice before relying on changing dates, rules or examination requirements.
