Max Rescues Mother's Day Flowers: Operation Math Sprint

About this Grade 3 Mixed All Operations Drill

By Grade 3, students need to fluently solve problems that mix addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division in a single expression. This skill is crucial because the real world doesn't present math in isolated boxes—when your child helps plan a Mother's Day party, they might need to add the cost of flowers, subtract a discount, and divide the total by family members. Mixed-all-operations teaches students to read carefully, identify which operation comes first, and think flexibly about numbers. Mastering this skill strengthens their ability to tackle multi-step word problems, prepares them for algebraic thinking in upper grades, and builds the mathematical reasoning they'll use daily when cooking, shopping, or organizing events. This worksheet targets the specific mental strategies 8- and 9-year-olds need to decide when to add versus multiply, and why order matters.

What your student will practice

• Solve two-step expressions with mixed operations using correct order of operations
• Identify which operation to perform first when addition and multiplication appear together
• Apply subtraction and division in sequence within single-expression problems
• Verify solutions by checking work backward or using an alternative method

Common mistakes to watch for

Third graders often solve mixed-operation problems left-to-right without respecting order of operations—for example, solving 2 + 3 × 4 as (2 + 3) × 4 = 20 instead of 2 + (3 × 4) = 14. Watch for students who rush and don't visibly mark or say which step they're doing first. Another common error is forgetting to apply the operation completely; a child might write 6 ÷ 2 + 3 and stop after the division, forgetting to add. Ask your child to talk aloud or point to which operation they'll do first—this reveals whether they truly understand the rule or are guessing.