Missing Operators Worksheet Generator

A missing operators worksheet shows arithmetic equations where the operators (+, −, ×, ÷) are hidden while the numbers and the result are fully visible. Students must determine which operation makes each equation true — a skill that sits at the heart of algebraic thinking. The format works across a wide range: Grade 3 students can work with addition and subtraction alone, Grades 4–5 bring in multiplication and division, and Grade 5–6 students tackle full order-of-operations reasoning with parentheses.

The parentheses mode adds the second layer of difficulty suited to Grades 5–6. When enabled, some equations use grouping that changes the result — for example (3 + 4) × 2 = 14 rather than 3 + 4 × 2 = 11. Hiding the parentheses on the printed sheet creates the hardest variant, requiring students to find the operators and determine the grouping simultaneously — a genuine PEMDAS challenge.

1. Set Problems with parentheses to Yes to include order-of-operations equations (Grades 5–6), or No for straightforward left-to-right sums (Grades 3–4).
2. Set Print parentheses to No to hide the grouping on the printed sheet — the hardest setting, best for Grade 6.
3. Choose the number of problems per page: 10, 20, or 30.
4. Click Create the Missing Operators puzzle to preview your worksheet.
5. Click Download the Missing Operators puzzle to save the PDF, with an optional solution page.

• Builds operation recognition — students reason about which operator fits, not just how to apply one
• Scales across grade levels — + and − only for Grade 3, add × and ÷ for Grades 4–5, full PEMDAS with parentheses for Grade 5–6
• Introduces order of operations — the parentheses mode gives a concrete, hands-on introduction to PEMDAS for Grade 5–6
• Works across all four operations — addition, subtraction, multiplication and division all appear on the same sheet
• Unlimited unique worksheets — every generation produces a different set of equations
• Free and instant — print-ready PDF in seconds, no account needed

PEMDAS is the rule that tells you which operation to perform first when an equation contains more than one operator. The letters stand for: Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction. Outside the US the same rule is known as BODMAS (Brackets, Orders, Division, Multiplication, Addition, Subtraction) — the logic is identical.

The key practical rule for elementary students is this: multiplication and division are always calculated before addition and subtraction — unless parentheses say otherwise.

Examples without parentheses

In 3 + 4 × 2, multiplication comes first per PEMDAS: 3 + (4 × 2) = 3 + 8 = 11.

In 10 − 6 ÷ 2, division comes first: 10 − (6 ÷ 2) = 10 − 3 = 7.

Examples with parentheses

Parentheses override PEMDAS — whatever is inside them is calculated first, regardless of which operator it contains.

(3 + 4) × 2 — the addition is forced first: 7 × 2 = 14. Compare this with 3 + 4 × 2 = 11 above — the same numbers and operators, but a completely different answer.

6 ÷ (1 + 2) — the addition is forced first: 6 ÷ 3 = 2. Without parentheses, 6 ÷ 1 + 2 = 6 + 2 = 8.

How this connects to the worksheet

On a missing operators worksheet, students see the numbers, the result, and — depending on the settings — the parentheses. To find the correct operators they must apply PEMDAS in reverse: decide which operation would produce the given result, and check whether the parentheses change the evaluation order. Hiding the parentheses (the hardest setting) means students must also figure out where the grouping belongs — a genuine order-of-operations challenge.