document.write( "Question 92650: If a = –1 and b = 1, evaluate 5a – b \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #67507 by bucky(2189) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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You are given the expression 5a - b and you are to evaluate the expression if a = -1 and b = 1.
\n" ); document.write( "All you need to do is to substitute -1 for a and +1 for b. When you make those substitutions
\n" ); document.write( "the expression becomes:
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\n" ); document.write( "5(-1) - (+1)
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\n" ); document.write( "The first multiplication of 5(-1) equals -5. Substitute this and the expression is:
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\n" ); document.write( "-5 - (+1)
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\n" ); document.write( "If a set of parentheses is preceded by a minus sign, you can remove the parentheses and
\n" ); document.write( "change the sign of the term in the parentheses. (In this problem you can look at the term
\n" ); document.write( "- (+1) as being -1(+1) and this equals -1.
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\n" ); document.write( "Make this change and the expression becomes:
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\n" ); document.write( "-5 - 1 which combines to -6
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\n" ); document.write( "The answer to this problem is -6.
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\n" ); document.write( "Hope this helps you to understand the process of evaluating an expression when you are
\n" ); document.write( "given values for the variables in the expression.
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