Question #ec859

#48/2+4^2-(6+2)xx3#

#=48/2+16-(6+2)xx3#

#=48/2+16-(8xx3)#

#=48/2+16-24#

#=48/2-8#

#=24-8#

#=16#

In any calculation involving multiple operations, you have to know the correct order in which to do them. This is usually known as PEDMAS, BODMAS or similar.

I prefer to work with the concept of TERMS. Terms are separated by single PLUS or MINUS signs.

Each term is simplified separately to give a single answer and these are added or subtracted in the last step.

Within each term, the order is brackets, then indices, and then multiplication and division.

#" "color(red)(48/2)color(lime)(+4^2)color(blue)( -(6+2)xx3)" "# has 3 terms. Work out each:
#color(white)(....)darrcolor(white)(...)darrcolor(white)(......)darr#
#=color(red)(24)color(lime)(+16)" "color(blue)( -(8xx3)#
#color(white)(....)darrcolor(white)(...)darrcolor(white)(.........)darr#
#=color(red)(24)color(lime)(+16)" "color(blue)( -24#

It is a good idea to write the ADD terms at the front and the SUBTRACT terms at the end.

This expression is already in this order.

#=24+16-24" "larr# work from left to right

#=40-24#

#=16#

You could also have noticed that:

in #color(red)(24)color(lime)(+16)color(blue)( -24)# there are additive inverses.

#color(red)(+24)color(blue)( -24) = 0#

Therefore #=color(red)(cancel24)color(lime)(+16)color(blue)( cancel(-24)) = 16#