What is 3 -3 x 6 + 2?

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Answer 1 · 2016-07-09T14:32:46

-13

Using the mnemonic Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally we are reminded that in the order of operations we follow

P = Parenthesis $\leftarrow$ $larr$ brackets
E = Exponents
M =Multiplications
D = Division
A = Addition
S = Subtraction

To solve 3 - 3 x 6 + 2

We would do the multiplication first

3 - 18 + 2

Then we do the addition and subtraction working left to right

-15 + 2

When adding signs that are different keep the sign of the larger number and subtract.

-13

Answer 2 · 2016-07-14T23:04:51

$- 13$ $-13$

If we use the concept of terms, then the order of operations is easy to identify.

$3 - 3 \times 6 + 2$ $color(blue)3-color(magenta)(3xx6)+ color(orange)2 " "$ has 3 terms.

We need to reduce each term to a single number before they can be added or subtracted in the final step.

$3 - 3 \times 6 + 2$ $color(blue)3-color(magenta)(3xx6)+ color(orange)2$

$3 - 18 + 2$ $color(blue)3-color(magenta)(18)+ color(orange)2$

$- 15 + 2 or 3 + 2 - 18$ $-15 +color(orange)2 " or " 3+2 -color(magenta)18$

= $- 13$ $-13$

Adding is commutative, so the numbers can be added in any order, as long as the sign is kept with the correct term.