How do you simplify #2[-50-(-74-16)] #?

1 Answer
Stefan V.
Jul 28, 2015

You use the order of operations to get a final value of #80#.

Explanation:

Your expression looks like this

#2 * [-50 - (-74-16)]#

The order of operations (think PEMDAS) tells you that parantheses come first, followed by exponents, multiplication/divison, and addition/subtraction.

Your expression has two parantheses which must be solved first. The first paranthesis has

#(-74-16) = -90#

The expression now becomes

#2 * (-50 - (-90)] = 2 * (-50 + 90)#

Next comes the second paranthesis

#(-50 + 90) = 40#

The expression now becomes

#2 * 40 = 80#

Therefore,

#2 * [-50 - (-74-16)] = color(green)(80)#

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