|
Question 92650: If a = –1 and b = 1, evaluate 5a – b
Answer by bucky(2189)   (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! You are given the expression 5a - b and you are to evaluate the expression if a = -1 and b = 1.
All you need to do is to substitute -1 for a and +1 for b. When you make those substitutions
the expression becomes:
.
5(-1) - (+1)
.
The first multiplication of 5(-1) equals -5. Substitute this and the expression is:
.
-5 - (+1)
.
If a set of parentheses is preceded by a minus sign, you can remove the parentheses and
change the sign of the term in the parentheses. (In this problem you can look at the term
- (+1) as being -1(+1) and this equals -1.
.
Make this change and the expression becomes:
.
-5 - 1 which combines to -6
.
The answer to this problem is -6.
.
Hope this helps you to understand the process of evaluating an expression when you are
given values for the variables in the expression.
|
|
|
| |
