SOLUTION: 3 - 2(4 + 8) � 3 How do you solve this?

Question 289826: 3 - 2(4 + 8) � 3

How do you solve this?

Answer by Deina(147) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
This problem concerns the Order of Operations, and is crucial to any type of mathematics.

In a week or two, this will become second nature to you, but for now write this down somewhere so you'll always have it available:
PEMDAS Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally (mnemonic for order of operations for evaluating math expressions)
PEMDAS Parenthesis, Exponents, Multiply, Divide, Add, Subtract

So we do everything inside parenthesis first:
3 - 2(4 + 8) � 3 = 3 - 2(12) � 3

Multiplication and division are both at the same level, so do them in sequence from left to right:
3 - 2(12) � 3 = 3 - 24 / 3 = 3 - 8

Finally, like multiplication and division, addition & subtraction are at the same level, so do them in sequence from left to right as well:
3 - 8 = -5

and bob's your uncle!

BTW: while it might seem like the ideal place, I've found that using magic marker to write PEMDAS of the back of the shirt of whoever sits in front of you does have some distinct disadvantages. :(

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