Write the expression

💡 How it plays and why it helps

Say “add 6 and 7, then multiply by 2” out loud and the order sounds obvious. Writing it down is another matter. Write the expression gives one such instruction per card, with numbers from 2 to 9 drawn fresh each time, and three expressions to choose from. Ten cards make a round in this Grade 5 game; your child taps one, each tap is checked, and a hint sits on every card.

Words give the order of the steps, and parentheses carry that order onto paper. Without them, multiplication goes first, so 2 × 6 + 7 is 19 and 6 + 7 × 2 is 20, while 2 × (6 + 7) is 26. The hint names the rule in one line: the adding happens first, so the sum needs parentheses. Every card follows the same pattern: add, then multiply.

Following the words left to right feels safe. For add 6 and 7, then multiply by 2, the choice 6 + 7 × 2 copies the sentence in order, yet it multiplies 7 by 2 first. Ask, "Which numbers does the times sign grab here?" Working out both values shows the gap. Then say, "You made the adding happen first."