document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=956852>Question 956852</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Make the following equation true by inserting 1 or more parentheses. Show all your steps to prove your answer. <BR>\n" );
document.write( "-12+2*-1^2+-3^2-9/2=-7 </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #584619 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Theo><B>Theo(13342)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Theo><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=Theo><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=584619\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> your equation is:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "-12 + 2 * -1^2 + -3^2 -9 / 2=-7\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "you would need to insert parentheses as shown below:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "(-12 + 2 * -1^2 + (-3)^2 - 9) / 2 = -7\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "the parentheses around the (-3) indicates that you are squaring (-3) rather than 3.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "the parentheses around (-12 + 2 * -1^2 + (-3)^2 - 9) means that whole expression has to be evaluated before you divide by 2.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "there is no parentheses around -1^2.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "this means that (1) will be squared first and then the minus sign applied.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "-1^2 = -1\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "the equation, with the parentheses as shown, would be processed as follows:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "start with:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "(-12 + 2 * -1^2 + (-3)^2 - 9) / 2 = -7\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "you process exponents first, working from left to right.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "-1^2 becomes -1<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(-3)^2 becomes 9\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "your equation becomes:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "(-12 + 2 * -1 + 9 - 9) / 2 = -7\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "you are processing multiplication and division within the set of parentheses next, working from left to right.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "2 * -1 = -2\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "since you are still working within the set of parentheses, the division by 2 is not performed until after all the operations within the set of parentheses have been completed.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "your equation becomes:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "(-12 - 2 + 9 - 9) / 2 = -7\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "you are processing addition and subtraction within the set of parentheses next.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "-12 - 2 = -14<BR>\n" );
document.write( "-14 + 9 = -5<BR>\n" );
document.write( "-5 - 9 = -14\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "your expression becomes:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "(-14)/2 = -7\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "you have finished evaluating the expression within the set of parentheses so you work on the rest of the expression next.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "(-14)/2 is equal to -7\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "your equation becomes:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "-7 = -7\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "you are done.<BR>\n" );
document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );