Order of Operations Word Problems

5th Grade MathOrder of Operations5 pages

About this worksheet

Real-world order of operations problems for 5th grade math (Common Core 5.OA.1 and 5.OA.2). Part 1 asks only for expressions: Maya's 4 packs of 8 baseball cards plus 5 singles, Marcus splitting what remains of $50 after lunch and a book, a bakery's muffin trays, and Liam's apple harvest. Part 2 then demands expression, worked evaluation and answer with units for three stories, including a science club order that lands at $92 after a $10 coupon and a pool group paying with a $100 bill. Two structure comparisons close the sheet without any computing.

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$Order of Operations Word Problems: Order of Operations - page 1$

$Order of Operations Word Problems: Order of Operations - page 2$

$Order of Operations Word Problems: Order of Operations - page 3$

$Order of Operations Word Problems: Order of Operations - page 4$

$Order of Operations Word Problems: Order of Operations - page 5$

Curriculum objectives covered

5.OA.1

“Use parentheses, brackets, or braces in numerical expressions, and evaluate expressions with these symbols.”

Part 2's evaluations run on grouping symbols, with the coupon problem needing the kit and sensor totals bracketed before the $10 comes off.

5.OA.2

“Write simple expressions that record calculations with numbers, and interpret numerical expressions without evaluating them. For example, express the calculation "add 8 and 7, then multiply by 2" as 2 × (8 + 7). Recognize that 3 x (18932 + 921) is three times as large as 18932 + 921, without having to calculate the indicated sum or product.”

Part 1 records four calculations as unevaluated expressions, and Part 3 interprets structure alone, including why 4 × (250 + 175) beats the plain sum.

What's inside this worksheet

Part 1: Write the Expression

Four story situations become single expressions with grouping symbols, not answers: baseball card packs, Marcus's two savings jars, 6 trays holding 4 blueberry and 8 bran muffins each, and Liam packing apples after setting 4 bruised ones aside.

Part 2: Solve the Word Problems

Students write, evaluate and label three multi-step problems: robotics kits and sensor packs minus a $10 coupon come to $92, two workers' orange boxes minus 14 juicing oranges leave 82 for sale, and 4 adults with 8 children at the pool get $16 change from $100.

Part 3: Compare Without Calculating

Two pairs are judged by structure: 4 × (250 + 175) against the bare sum, and (18 + 42) ÷ 6 against 18 + (42 ÷ 6), where the moved parentheses drag the value from 10 to 25.

Answer key

Final answers with units are given for every story, and the comparison explanations model the times-as-large language the standard expects.

How teachers use it

Enforcing expression-first work

Part 1 bans evaluating on purpose. Hold the line: a student who writes 37 for Maya's cards skipped the standard being practiced, even though the number is right.

Multi-step assessment

Question 7 is the cleanest three-step check on the sheet: admission cost, group total, change from $100. Mark the expression, the steps and the units separately to see where each student leaks.

Parentheses-move demonstration

Question 9 shows the same digits producing 10 or 25 depending on where the parentheses sit. Put both on the board and let students compute each side once; the gap makes the lesson.

More 5th Grade Math worksheets

Operations with Fractions Place Value and Decimals Measurement and Data Geometry

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