document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=671156>Question 671156</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> I am an returning to college after a LONG hiatus from school.i encounted a problem in math that i have NO CLUE on how to solve. could u please break this down into something i can understand? \r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "(-2)+{5(-4)}-1\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "this was on placement testing and i was s=stumped...how do i solve problems with parentheses and brackets?\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "as I said,its been a while(i am older then most students)\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "thank you so much </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #417286 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=MathLover1><B>MathLover1(20850)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=MathLover1><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=MathLover1><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=417286\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <BR>\n" );
document.write( "The <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=rules ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"rules\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > for removing parentheses:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "parentheses will be preceded either by a plus sign +\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a+%2B+%28b+-c+%2B+d%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a+%2B+%28b+-c+%2B+d%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "or a minus sign -\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a+-+%28b+-c+%2B+d%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a+-+%28b+-c+%2B+d%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "- when parentheses are preceded by a plus sign + simply <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=remove ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"remove\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > them, \r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "nothing changes\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a+%2B+%28b+-c+%2B+d%29+=+a+%2B+b+-c+%2B+d ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a+%2B+%28b+-c+%2B+d%29+=+a+%2B+b+-c+%2B+d\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "- when parentheses are preceded by a minus sign - <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=change ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"change\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > the <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=sign ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"sign\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > \r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "of <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=every ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"every\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+term ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+term\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+within ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+within\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > the <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=parentheses ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"parentheses\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "change + to - and - to + -\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a+-%28b+-c+%2B+d%29+=+a+-+b+%2B+c-+d ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a+-%28b+-c+%2B+d%29+=+a+-+b+%2B+c-+d\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "use same rule with brackets\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "so, in your case <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28-2%29%2B%285%28-4%29%29-1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28-2%29%2B%285%28-4%29%29-1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > first remove <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28-2%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28-2%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > \r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "parentheses...they are preceded by a plus sign +, you simply <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=remove ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"remove\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > them\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "=<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-2%2B%285%28-4%29%29-1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-2%2B%285%28-4%29%29-1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.......now multiply <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=5%28-4%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"5%28-4%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >....recall +*-=-\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "=<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-2%2B%28-20%29-1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-2%2B%28-20%29-1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >........now remove <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28-20%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28-20%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > parentheses...they are preceded \r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "by a plus sign +, you simply <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=remove ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"remove\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > them\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "=<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-2-20-1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-2-20-1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.....now add all negative numbers just like they are positive and \r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "place sign minus in front of their sum\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "=<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-23 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-23\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );