document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=29276>Question 29276</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> I am helping my son with pre alegebra, his book is ridiculous for examples:  These are what I need help on.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "1.  Simplify: -(-{-[-(2)]}),  2.  Simplify (4)(-3), 3.  Simplify: (-3)(-3)(-3)(-3).  Evaluatexy-y, if x=6 and y=-5, evaluate -ab-a, if a=-4 and b=-5.   </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #16147 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=longjonsilver><B>longjonsilver(2297)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=longjonsilver><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=longjonsilver><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=16147\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> 1. -(-{-[-(2)]})\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "rather pointless question, but anyway :-)... what this means is the following:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "-1*(-1*{-1}). As to how we work it out...we start at the inner most brackets and work outwards,\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "so... -1*2...meaning -1*+2 is -2, so:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "-1*(-1*{-1*(-2)})\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "-1*(-2) is? +2, so<BR>\n" );
document.write( "-1*(-1*{2})\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "And -1*{2} is? answer is -2. So,<BR>\n" );
document.write( "-1*(-2)\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "and finally, -1*(-2) is +2\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "so answer is +2.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "2. (4)(-3)?<BR>\n" );
document.write( "this means (+4)*(-3)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "+ and - make a -<BR>\n" );
document.write( "4 and 3 are 12\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "--> answer is -12<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "3. (-3)(-3)(-3)(-3) means<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(-3)*(-3)*(-3)*(-3)\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "so, take it in bits:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "first 2 terms are: (-3)*(-3) is +9<BR>\n" );
document.write( "last two terms are the same\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "So we have 9*9 --> +81\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "if x=6, y=-5\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "xy-y is<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(6)(-5)-(-5) meaning<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(+6)*(-5)-(-5)\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "So, (+6)*(-5) is -30, so we have -30-(-5)\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "we can also think of -(-5) as -1*(-5) --> +5, so we get -30+5 which is -25<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "-ab-a<BR>\n" );
document.write( "-(-4)(-5)-(-4)\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "you try this one... answer is -16\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "jon.<BR>\n" );
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