How do you simplify #1/2[6-4^2]#?

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Answer 1 · 2016-07-03T17:22:44

#-5#

The first step is always to count the number of terms.
There must be a final answer for each term before they can be added or subtracted.

This is only one term, but there are 2 terms inside the parentheses.

#1/2[ 6 - color(red)(4^2)] = 1/2[6-color(red)16]#

=#1/2[-10] = -5#

Or using the distributive law, we can get two terms at the beginning:

#1/2xx6 - 1/2 xx 4^2#

#= 3 - 1/2 xx 16#

# =3 -8 = -5#