California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) Math Practice Exam

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Prepare for the CAASPP Math Exam. Use quizzes, flashcards, and detailed explanations to boost your confidence and test readiness. Master the skills necessary to excel in your exam!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

What do the Order of Operations dictate in mathematics?

The arrangement of numbers in a sequence
The rules for performing mathematical operations
The process of evaluating fractions only
The steps to simplify an equation

The correct answer is: The rules for performing mathematical operations

The Order of Operations establishes a set of rules that dictate the sequence in which various mathematical operations should be performed to ensure consistent and correct results. These operations typically include addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and exponentiation. By following this established order—often remembered by the acronym PEMDAS (Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division from left to right, and Addition and Subtraction from left to right)—mathematicians can arrive at the same answer for a given expression, regardless of who is solving it. In this context, while other options may touch on aspects of mathematical procedures, they do not encapsulate the specific intent and application of the Order of Operations. For instance, the arrangement of numbers in a sequence (the first choice) does not pertain to operation priority. Evaluating fractions (the third choice) is a narrower topic, not covering the full breadth of operations. Similarly, simplifying an equation (the fourth choice) is a broader concept that doesn't specifically address the procedural aspects outlined by the Order of Operations.