Max Maths, Year 5, Learn together, Mixed operations with a pair of brackets (2)

In Max Maths for Year 5, students encounter a lesson on mixed operations with a pair of brackets. The lesson introduces Toby and Tya, who demonstrate the correct application of brackets in mathematical expressions. They illustrate that when an expression includes brackets, the calculation inside the brackets must be completed first. For example, in the expressions 3 × (5 + 3) or 3 × (3 + 5), the addition inside the brackets is performed before the multiplication. Both expressions simplify to 3 × 8, resulting in a product of 24, regardless of the order of the addends within the brackets. This reinforces the concept of the commutative property in addition, where the order of numbers does not affect the sum.

The lesson continues with exercises that further practice the use of brackets to clarify the order of operations. In one example, students calculate the total number of items by first solving the addition within the brackets: 3 × (4 + 2) simplifies to 3 × 6, giving an answer of 18. Another example shows that (2 + 7) × 4 becomes 9 × 4, which equals 36. These examples help students understand that by completing the operations inside the brackets first, they can accurately determine the total in a series of calculations. This foundational skill is crucial for understanding more complex mathematical problems and is a key part of the Year 5 curriculum.