Question

How do you solve `8- 5[ 6- ( 8- 10) ] \div ( - 2)^{3}`?

Answer 1

`13`

Explanation:

(Note that this is an expression not an equation, so it is simplified rather than solved, which means to find the value of a variable.)

Always count the number of terms first. Each term will simplify to a single answer and these will be added or subtracted in the last step.

Within each term, brackets get done first, followed by powers and roots and finally multiplication and division.

There are 2 terms in this expression. Keep them separate until the last step.

`color(magenta)(8)- 5[ 6- ( color(red)(8- 10)) ] \div color(red)(( - 2)^{3})`

=`color(magenta)8- 5[ color(blue)(6-color(red)( ( -2))) ] \div (color(red)(- 8))`

=`color(magenta)8- 5[ color(blue)(6+2) ] \div (- 8)`

=`color(magenta)8- 5[ color(blue)(8) ] \div (- 8)`

=`color(magenta)8color(lime)(- 40 div (- 8))`

=`color(magenta)8color(lime)(+5)`

=`13`