The flats and sharps in a key signature occur in a particular order.

Flats:
B E A D G C F

Sharps are the reverse of the flats:
F C G D A E B

A key signature may contain either flats or sharps, but not both.

The key signatures for major scales are on the staff below:

TIPS:
To determine the key of a flat key signature: look at the second to last flat. This will be the key.
For example: If there are three flats in the key signature; Bb, Eb, and Ab: the second to last flat is E-flat. The key is E-flat major.
The only exception is F major which has one flat.

For sharp keys: Take the last sharp and go up one half step and one letter name.
For example: If the key signature has four sharps (F#, C#, G#, D#) the last sharp is D#: go up one half step and one letter name to E- the key is E major.

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