Grade 6 Find the first wrong step (HOTQ) Worksheets
A worked answer with one wrong step in it. Find the first step that breaks the rule and write the step that belongs there.
Every sheet below is generated fresh with a matching answer key. Pick one of the three levels, preview it, and print or download the PDF — no account, no watermark. For the other grade 6 order of operations skills, see all order of operations worksheets.
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Order of Operations · Grade 6
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Grade 6 · 3 pages · A4What each level generates
Grade 6 find the first wrong step (hotq) — the exact skill behind each difficulty setting, straight from the generator.
- Level 1A step taken out of turn
- Level 2A bracket in the working
- Level 3Equal ranks in the wrong order
Grade levels follow the progression common to most English-language curricula — not one specific national curriculum. Every level shows exactly what it generates, so you can check the fit with your own program. See the full scope & sequence →
More Grade 6 order of operations skills
Each one generates a different kind of question, with its own three levels and answer key.
- Brackets FirstWork out what is inside the brackets before you do anything else.
- Two OperationsNo brackets: decide whether to multiply, divide, add or subtract first.
- Brackets Inside BracketsMore than one set of brackets — start with the innermost pair and work out.
- Powers in ExpressionsSquares and cubes are worked out before multiplying, dividing, adding or subtracting.
- Insert the BracketsPut one pair of brackets into each expression so the answer shown is correct.
- Evaluate with a VariablePut the given value in place of the letter, then use the order of operations.
- Which Step Comes FirstName the part you would work out first — no need to finish the sum.
Frequently asked questions
▸What order of operations should a Grade 6 student know?
Confident evaluation of multi-step expressions with brackets: brackets first, then multiplication and division left to right, then addition and subtraction left to right. Grade 6 also meets whole-number exponents, and they have a sheet of their own here so the core rules and the powers can be practised one at a time.
▸Does multiplication always come before division?
No — this is the most common misconception. Multiplication and division share equal priority and are done left to right, so 24 ÷ 6 × 2 is 8, not 2. The same is true of addition and subtraction, which are also worked left to right.
▸Where are the exponents on these Grade 6 worksheets?
On their own sheet — the Powers in Expressions card — rather than mixed into the bracket work. That is a deliberate choice: mastering how brackets and the left-to-right rule interact is easier without powers adding a second layer, and a squared bracket is easier to see when the rest of the line is short. Once both are dependable, the Grade 7 sheets combine them.
▸Can I reuse the exact same worksheet for a re-test?
Yes. The worksheet is stored in its web address, so bookmarking or sharing the link reproduces the identical problems and answer key — ideal for a fair before-and-after comparison across a class.
▸What paper size and layout do these print on?
Choose A4 or US Letter in the controls; the preview and the downloaded PDF both reflow to the size you pick, and the answer key prints on its own final page.