Today's problem is a simple introduction to brackets and the order of operations - you might call it BODMAS, BIDMAS or even PEDMAS.
Whatever you call it, the meaning is the same - it tells us in what order to carry out parts of a calculation. We always start with brackets! Working out the calculation in brackets first may have an impact on your final answer, and ignoring this rule may lead to mistakes.
In this calculation, the answer is the same regardless of which numbers you multiply first, as multiplication is commutative, which means the factors can be in any order. However, the question is asking you to show which factors you would multiply to make 10. This allows students to develop an understanding of how brackets can be used, and also to spot a shortcut to make the question easier to work out - knowing what happens when we multiply a number by ten makes 3x10 a quicker fact to recall than 6x5.
Does your child know where the brackets should go? Did this explanation help them? Please let us know in the comments!
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