Master PEMDAS/BODMAS with this 15-question mental math challenge.
Ever wonder why "mental math" feels like a workout for your brain? It’s because it actually is. Engaging in quick calculations—like those found in our latest quiz—does more than just improve your arithmetic; it fundamentally strengthens your working memory.
The Science of Mental Math
Research in cognitive neuroscience suggests that mental calculation requires the prefrontal cortex to hold and manipulate information simultaneously. Studies indicate that regular mental math practice increases gray matter density in regions associated with executive function. By practicing "quick-fire" problems, you are training your brain to retrieve stored facts (like multiplication tables) while processing new data (the next step in an equation), a process known as neuroplasticity.
Mastering the Order of Operations
To ace this quiz, you need a reliable roadmap. Whether you use PEMDAS or BODMAS, the goal is the same: solving equations in the correct order to reach the right answer.
P/B: Parentheses or Brackets first.
E/O: Exponents or Orders (such as square roots or powers).
MD/DM: Multiplication and Division (from left to right).
AS: Addition and Subtraction (from left to right).
For a problem like 3 + 9 ÷ 3 - 1, you must divide first (9 ÷ 3 = 3), then add and subtract: 3 + 3 - 1 = 5. Mastering these steps ensures you never get tripped up by complex-looking strings of numbers!
