Certificates / Quantitative aptitude / Simplification
Simplification: lesson, then the certificate test
Step 1: the lesson (about 1 min)
Work in a fixed order: brackets, then powers and roots, then × and ÷ from left to right, then + and − from left to right (BODMAS).
- Clear the innermost bracket first.
- × and ÷ have equal rank: do them in the order they appear, left to right. The same for + and −.
- For approximation questions, round each number to an easy one and pick the nearest option.
Worked example
18 ÷ 3 × 2 + 4² − 5 = ?
- Power first: 4² = 16
- Left to right: 18 ÷ 3 = 6, then 6 × 2 = 12
- 12 + 16 − 5 = 23
Answer: 23
Watch out
- 18 ÷ 3 × 2 is 12, not 3: do not multiply before dividing just because × comes first in BODMAS.
Made by Shishya (AI-assisted): a general method in our own words, with our own example; no exam or platform question is copied.
Step 2: the test
- 15 questions from Shishya's checked question bank, 20 minutes. Pass mark: 11 correct.
- Scored on Shishya's server; the answers are not shown afterwards, so the test stays fair. Each attempt draws new questions.
- Free. Your first test needs no account; sign up free to take more. Your answers and score are not stored; if you pass, you choose the name to print (ages 13 and up).
- It is a Shishya completion certificate — not a university or government credential. The test is not supervised.