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NumberExam Tips

Exam Tips

Part of BIDMAS — GCSE Mathematics

This exam tips covers Exam Tips within BIDMAS for GCSE Mathematics. Revise BIDMAS in Number for GCSE Mathematics with 14 exam-style questions and 22 flashcards. This topic appears regularly enough that it should still be part of a steady revision cycle. It is section 7 of 8 in this topic. Treat this as a marking guide for what examiners are looking for, not just a fact list.

Topic position

Section 7 of 8

Practice

14 questions

Recall

22 flashcards

Exam Tips

  • Show your working: Write each step clearly to avoid mistakes and gain partial marks
  • Use brackets for clarity: (3 × 4) + 2 is clearer than 3 × 4 + 2
  • Check equal priority operations: For ÷ and ×, or + and -, always work left to right
  • Double-check indices: 2³ = 8, not 6. Powers are multiplication, not addition
  • Nested brackets: Work from inside out: 2 × (3 + (4 × 5)) = 2 × (3 + 20) = 2 × 23 = 46

Keep building this topic

Read this section alongside the surrounding pages in BIDMAS. That gives you the full topic sequence instead of a single isolated revision point.

Higher ExampleReal-World ApplicationsWhy Order MattersBIDMAS Order

Practice Questions for BIDMAS

What does the letter 'I' stand for in BIDMAS?

  • A. Integers
  • B. Inverse
  • C. Indices
  • D. Integration
1 markfoundation

Explain what BIDMAS tells us about calculations and why it is needed.

2 marksstandard

Quick Recall Flashcards

Calculate: 10 - 2²
**Step 1:** Indices first (BIDMAS) 2² = 4 **Step 2:** Then subtraction 10 - 4 = **6** *(Not 10 - 2 = 8, then 8² = 64)*
Calculate: 2 + 3 × 4
**Step 1:** Multiplication first (BIDMAS) 3 × 4 = 12 **Step 2:** Then addition 2 + 12 = **14** *(Not 2 + 3 = 5, then 5 × 4 = 20)*

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