The worked question on this page is original educational practice. It is not represented as a question from an official previous-year examination paper.
01 / UNDERSTANDING
Review the question
Prepare original pairs differing only by brackets. Ask why their answers differ, making the operation-order rule explicit instead of rewarding an answer produced by a fragile mnemonic.
02 / UNDERSTANDING
The concept in context
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
Learn from the attempt
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.
