ACCUPLACER Arithmetic Quiz: Order Of Operations Whole Numbers
20 questions · exam conditions
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Order Of Operations Whole NumbersQuestion 1 of 20

Find: 6+2×(52−20)÷2−36 + 2 \times (5^2 - 20) \div 2 - 3

14
5
11
8
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ACCUPLACER Arithmetic Quiz

ACCUPLACER Arithmetic Quiz: Order Of Operations Whole Numbers

Practice Order Of Operations Whole Numbers in ACCUPLACER Arithmetic with focused quiz questions that help you check what you know, review explanations, and build confidence with test-style prompts.

What this quiz covers

This quiz focuses on Order Of Operations Whole Numbers, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for ACCUPLACER Arithmetic.

How to use this quiz

Try each quiz question before looking at the correct answer. Use the explanations to review missed ideas, then come back to similar questions until the pattern feels familiar.

All questions

Question 1

Find: 6+2×(52−20)÷2−36 + 2 \times (5^2 - 20) \div 2 - 3

  1. 14
  2. 5
  3. 11
  4. 8 (correct answer)
Explanation: When you encounter a complex expression like this, you're being tested on the order of operations (PEMDAS/BODMAS). You must work through operations in the correct sequence: Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division (left to right), Addition and Subtraction (left to right). Let's solve 6+2×(52−20)÷2−36 + 2 \times (5^2 - 20) \div 2 - 3 step by step: First, handle what's inside the parentheses: 52−205^2 - 20. Calculate the exponent: 52=255^2 = 25, so 25−20=525 - 20 = 5. Now you have: 6+2×5÷2−36 + 2 \times 5 \div 2 - 3 Next, work left to right with multiplication and division: 2×5=102 \times 5 = 10, then 10÷2=510 \div 2 = 5. This gives you: 6+5−36 + 5 - 3 Finally, work left to right with addition and subtraction: 6+5=116 + 5 = 11, then 11−3=811 - 3 = 8. Choice A (14) likely comes from adding all numbers without following proper order: 6+2+5+20+2−36 + 2 + 5 + 20 + 2 - 3. Choice B (5) might result from incorrectly calculating the parentheses or mixing up the final arithmetic. Choice C (11) occurs if you forget the final subtraction of 3, stopping at 6+56 + 5. The correct answer is D (8). Study tip: Write out each step when practicing order of operations. Don't try to do multiple steps mentally at once—this is where most errors occur. Always complete operations inside parentheses first, then work systematically through PEMDAS.

Question 2

What is 36÷4×3+23−636 \div 4 \times 3 + 2^3 - 6?

  1. 23
  2. 29 (correct answer)
  3. 35
  4. 19
Explanation: Following order of operations: First, evaluate the exponent: 23=82^3 = 8. Then perform multiplication and division from left to right: 36÷4=936 \div 4 = 9, then 9×3=279 \times 3 = 27. Finally, perform addition and subtraction from left to right: 27+8−6=35−6=2927 + 8 - 6 = 35 - 6 = 29. Choice A (23) results from incorrectly calculating 27−8+4=2327 - 8 + 4 = 23. Choice C (35) results from forgetting to subtract the final 6: 27+8=3527 + 8 = 35. Choice D (19) results from incorrectly calculating 27−8=1927 - 8 = 19.

Question 3

Calculate: 15−3×2+42÷815 - 3 \times 2 + 4^2 \div 8

  1. 11 (correct answer)
  2. 7
  3. 24
  4. 21
Explanation: Following order of operations: First, evaluate the exponent: 42=164^2 = 16. Then perform multiplication and division from left to right: 3×2=63 \times 2 = 6 and 16÷8=216 \div 8 = 2. Finally, perform addition and subtraction from left to right: 15−6+2=9+2=1115 - 6 + 2 = 9 + 2 = 11. Choice B (7) results from incorrectly calculating 15−6−2=715 - 6 - 2 = 7. Choice C (24) results from working left to right without following order of operations: (15−3)×2+42÷8(15 - 3) \times 2 + 4^2 \div 8. Choice D (21) results from incorrectly adding all positive terms: 15+2+4=2115 + 2 + 4 = 21.

Question 4

A sports team buys 5 jerseys at a cost of $20 each and 2 pairs of shorts at a cost of $15 each. The team receives a $10 discount on its total purchase.

What is the final cost for the team's purchase?

  1. $60
  2. $120 (correct answer)
  3. $130
  4. $235
Explanation: First, calculate the cost of the jerseys: 5×20=1005 \times 20 = 100. Next, calculate the cost of the shorts: 2×15=302 \times 15 = 30. The total cost before the discount is 100+30=130100 + 30 = 130. Finally, apply the $10 discount: 130−10=120130 - 10 = 120. The final cost is $120.

Question 5

A painter charges a $50 flat fee plus $2 per square foot. The area of a rectangular wall is found by multiplying its length and height.

What is the total cost to paint a rectangular wall that is 10 feet long and 8 feet high?

  1. $86
  2. $210 (correct answer)
  3. $560
  4. $4,160
Explanation: First, calculate the area of the wall in square feet: 10×8=8010 \times 8 = 80 square feet. Next, calculate the cost based on the area: 2×80=1602 \times 80 = 160. Finally, add the flat fee to this cost: 50+160=21050 + 160 = 210. The total cost is $210.

Question 6

A delivery service charges $10 for the first package and $3 for each additional package in a shipment.

What is the total cost to ship 5 packages?

  1. $15
  2. $22 (correct answer)
  3. $25
  4. $35
Explanation: The shipment consists of 1 first package and 5−1=45 - 1 = 4 additional packages. The cost of the additional packages is 4×3=124 \times 3 = 12. The total cost is the sum of the first package fee and the additional package cost: 10+12=2210 + 12 = 22. The total cost is $22.

Question 7

What is the value of 36÷(2+1)2×336 \div (2+1)^2 \times 3?

  1. 1
  2. 12 (correct answer)
  3. 36
  4. 108
Explanation: First, evaluate the expression in parentheses: 2+1=32 + 1 = 3. The expression becomes 36÷32×336 \div 3^2 \times 3. Next, evaluate the exponent: 32=93^2 = 9. The expression is now 36÷9×336 \div 9 \times 3. Perform division and multiplication from left to right: 36÷9=436 \div 9 = 4, and then 4×3=124 \times 3 = 12.

Question 8

What is the value of 2×(5+32)−42 \times (5 + 3^2) - 4?

  1. 12
  2. 24 (correct answer)
  3. 60
  4. 124
Explanation: First, evaluate inside the parentheses. Within the parentheses, the exponent is calculated first: 32=93^2 = 9. The expression becomes 2×(5+9)−42 \times (5 + 9) - 4. Next, finish the parentheses: 5+9=145 + 9 = 14. The expression is now 2×14−42 \times 14 - 4. Perform multiplication: 2×14=282 \times 14 = 28. Finally, perform subtraction: 28−4=2428 - 4 = 24.

Question 9

A recipe requires 3 cups of flour. A baker needs to make 5 batches of the recipe for a party, and she already has 2 cups of flour.

How many more cups of flour does the baker need?

  1. 10
  2. 13 (correct answer)
  3. 15
  4. 28
Explanation: First, calculate the total amount of flour needed for all batches. This is 3 cups/batch×5 batches=153 \text{ cups/batch} \times 5 \text{ batches} = 15 cups. The baker already has 2 cups, so the amount she still needs is found by subtraction: 15−2=1315 - 2 = 13 cups. The expression is 3×5−23 \times 5 - 2.

Question 10

What is the value of 10−2×(10÷5)+310 - 2 \times (10 \div 5) + 3?

  1. 7
  2. 9 (correct answer)
  3. 19
  4. 27
Explanation: First, evaluate the operation inside the parentheses: 10÷5=210 \div 5 = 2. The expression becomes 10−2×2+310 - 2 \times 2 + 3. Next, perform the multiplication: 2×2=42 \times 2 = 4. The expression is now 10−4+310 - 4 + 3. Finally, perform subtraction and addition from left to right: 10−4=610 - 4 = 6, and 6+3=96 + 3 = 9.

Question 11

What is the value of 60÷(10+2)+4×360 \div (10 + 2) + 4 \times 3?

  1. 17 (correct answer)
  2. 27
  3. 30
  4. 33
Explanation: First, evaluate the expression in the parentheses: 10+2=1210 + 2 = 12. The expression becomes 60÷12+4×360 \div 12 + 4 \times 3. Next, perform division and multiplication from left to right. 60÷12=560 \div 12 = 5 and 4×3=124 \times 3 = 12. The expression is now 5+125 + 12. Finally, perform the addition: 5+12=175 + 12 = 17.

Question 12

What is the value of 3×(1+4)23 \times (1 + 4)^2?

  1. 30
  2. 51
  3. 75 (correct answer)
  4. 225
Explanation: First, evaluate the expression inside the parentheses: 1+4=51 + 4 = 5. The expression becomes 3×523 \times 5^2. Next, evaluate the exponent: 52=255^2 = 25. Finally, perform the multiplication: 3×25=753 \times 25 = 75.

Question 13

What is the value of 32×4+18÷(2+1)−73^2 \times 4 + 18 \div (2 + 1) - 7?

  1. 35 (correct answer)
  2. 41
  3. 29
  4. 47
Explanation: Following order of operations: First, evaluate parentheses: (2+1)=3(2 + 1) = 3. Then evaluate the exponent: 32=93^2 = 9. Next, perform multiplication and division from left to right: 9×4=369 \times 4 = 36 and 18÷3=618 \div 3 = 6. Finally, perform addition and subtraction from left to right: 36+6−7=42−7=3536 + 6 - 7 = 42 - 7 = 35. Choice B (41) results from calculation errors. Choice C (29) results from incorrectly subtracting instead of adding. Choice D (47) results from adding all terms without proper operations.

Question 14

Evaluate: (4+6)×23−8×5(4 + 6) \times 2^3 - 8 \times 5

  1. 40 (correct answer)
  2. 88
  3. 120
  4. 32
Explanation: Following order of operations: First, evaluate parentheses: (4+6)=10(4 + 6) = 10. Then evaluate the exponent: 23=82^3 = 8. Next, perform multiplication from left to right: 10×8=8010 \times 8 = 80 and 8×5=408 \times 5 = 40. Finally, subtract: 80−40=4080 - 40 = 40. Choice B (88) results from adding instead of subtracting: 80+8=8880 + 8 = 88. Choice C (120) results from incorrectly calculating 10×8+8×5=80+40=12010 \times 8 + 8 \times 5 = 80 + 40 = 120. Choice D (32) results from incorrectly evaluating the exponent as 23=62^3 = 6 instead of 8.

Question 15

What is the value of the expression 50−4×2+650 - 4 \times 2 + 6?

  1. 18
  2. 36
  3. 48 (correct answer)
  4. 98
Explanation: Following the order of operations (PEMDAS/BODMAS), multiplication is performed before addition and subtraction. First, calculate 4×2=84 \times 2 = 8. The expression becomes 50−8+650 - 8 + 6. Then, perform subtraction and addition from left to right: 50−8=4250 - 8 = 42, and 42+6=4842 + 6 = 48.

Question 16

What is the value of 12+(15−3)×512 + (15 - 3) \times 5?

  1. 54
  2. 72 (correct answer)
  3. 120
  4. 132
Explanation: According to the order of operations, operations inside parentheses are performed first. Calculate 15−3=1215 - 3 = 12. The expression simplifies to 12+12×512 + 12 \times 5. Next, perform multiplication: 12×5=6012 \times 5 = 60. Finally, perform addition: 12+60=7212 + 60 = 72.

Question 17

What is the value of 3+2×(10−(4+3))3 + 2 \times (10 - (4 + 3))?

  1. 9 (correct answer)
  2. 16
  3. 21
  4. 49
Explanation: The order of operations requires starting with the innermost parentheses. First, calculate 4+3=74 + 3 = 7. The expression becomes 3+2×(10−7)3 + 2 \times (10 - 7). Next, calculate the remaining parentheses: 10−7=310 - 7 = 3. The expression is now 3+2×33 + 2 \times 3. Perform multiplication: 2×3=62 \times 3 = 6. Finally, add: 3+6=93 + 6 = 9.

Question 18

What is the value of 100−40+10−5100 - 40 + 10 - 5?

  1. 45
  2. 55
  3. 65 (correct answer)
  4. 75
Explanation: When an expression contains only addition and subtraction, the operations are performed from left to right. First, 100−40=60100 - 40 = 60. The expression becomes 60+10−560 + 10 - 5. Next, 60+10=7060 + 10 = 70. The expression becomes 70−570 - 5. Finally, 70−5=6570 - 5 = 65.

Question 19

What is the value of 10+(24÷4−6)×810 + (24 \div 4 - 6) \times 8?

  1. 10 (correct answer)
  2. 16
  3. 22
  4. 80
Explanation: First, evaluate the operations inside the parentheses. Inside the parentheses, division comes before subtraction: 24÷4=624 \div 4 = 6. The expression becomes 10+(6−6)×810 + (6 - 6) \times 8. Next, complete the parentheses: 6−6=06 - 6 = 0. The expression is now 10+0×810 + 0 \times 8. Perform multiplication: 0×8=00 \times 8 = 0. Finally, perform addition: 10+0=1010 + 0 = 10.

Question 20

What is the value of 100−60÷5×2100 - 60 \div 5 \times 2?

  1. 16
  2. 76 (correct answer)
  3. 94
  4. 176
Explanation: According to the order of operations, multiplication and division are performed from left to right before subtraction. First, divide: 60÷5=1260 \div 5 = 12. The expression becomes 100−12×2100 - 12 \times 2. Next, multiply: 12×2=2412 \times 2 = 24. Finally, subtract: 100−24=76100 - 24 = 76.