Grade 5 - Math

Grade 5 Order of Operations Error Detective Worksheet

6 printable versions - Challenge Me - About 8 minutes each

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Order of Operations Error Detective

Grade 5 - Math - Challenge Me

Worksheet 1
  1. Order detective: evaluate 9 + 7 x 7 correctly.

  2. A student changed 12 + 5 x 6 into (12 + 5) x 6 = 102. What is the first mistake?

  3. Order detective: evaluate 5 + 9 x 9 correctly.

  4. A student changed 7 + 3 x 11 into (7 + 3) x 11 = 110. What is the first mistake?

  5. Order detective: evaluate 6 + 9 x 8 correctly.

  6. A student changed 2 + 7 x 2 into (2 + 7) x 2 = 18. What is the first mistake?

  7. Order detective: evaluate 6 + 10 x 8 correctly.

  8. A student changed 9 + 11 x 6 into (9 + 11) x 6 = 120. What is the first mistake?

  9. Order detective: evaluate 8 + 10 x 7 correctly.

  10. A student changed 7 + 12 x 5 into (7 + 12) x 5 = 95. What is the first mistake?

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About this worksheet

Order of Operations Error Detective gives grade 5 students a focused page for a skill that parents and teachers often need as its own printable worksheet. Error detective format gives Grade 5 a high-value review sheet for expression reasoning. Students should identify the first wrong step, not only give the final value. The items rotate through several question types so the page is not just the same prompt with different numbers or words. Students evaluate expressions and correct order-of-operations mistakes. Support versions keep the reading load, numbers, or choices friendlier while preserving the same thinking. Standard versions match everyday classroom practice. Challenge versions add a closer distractor, an extra reasoning step, or less familiar examples. Before answering, students should say what the question is asking, point to the evidence, and check that the answer fits the exact skill named in the title.

What your child will learn

  • Use parentheses
  • Multiply before adding
  • Find the first incorrect step

Worked example

For 6 + 3 x 4, multiply first: 6 + 12 = 18.

Common mistake

Working strictly left to right when multiplication or parentheses should come first.

Helpful hint

Parentheses first, then multiplication or division, then addition or subtraction.

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with order of operations error detective?
Working strictly left to right when multiplication or parentheses should come first.
How can I help my child with order of operations error detective?
Parentheses first, then multiplication or division, then addition or subtraction.
Are these 5th grade math worksheets free to print?
Yes. All 6 printable versions on this page are free to download and print, with no account needed.

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