Four-Step Word Problems

This order of operations worksheet helps students translate real-world scenarios into four-step mathematical expressions and solve them using PEMDAS. Learners identify quantities, operations, and sequencing to model multi-step situations such as grouping, removing items, combining totals, and comparing results, then compute accurate solutions.

Instructional Objectives

• Skill Focus (Grades 6-8): Translate real-world word problems into four-step numerical expressions and evaluate them using the correct order of operations.
• Conceptual Understanding (Grades 6-8): Understand how multi-step situations map to mathematical operations and why operation order affects results.
• Algebraic Reasoning (Grades 7-8): Create and solve expressions that represent grouping, distribution, adjustment, and comparison in authentic contexts.
• Curriculum Alignment (Grades 6-8): Supports mathematical modeling, multi-step problem solving, order of operations mastery, and reasoning standards.

Students must carefully interpret each scenario, determine which actions belong inside parentheses, and apply PEMDAS consistently. This emphasis on structure strengthens modeling skills and helps prevent common sequencing errors.

Learning Benefits

• Builds strong connections between real-world situations and mathematical expressions
• Encourages strategic thinking and careful planning before computation
• Reinforces accurate, step-by-step use of PEMDAS
• Effective for guided practice, independent work, or assessment

This printable worksheet provides meaningful, application-based practice that helps students confidently model and solve four-step word problems using the order of operations.

This worksheet is part of our 4-Step Order of Operations Worksheets collection.