Question 65851
<pre><font size = 5><B>Evaluate the expression.
- 5/6 * ( - 9/10 ) divided by 17/20 

{{{(-5/6)(-9/10)}}}÷{{{(17/20)}}}

We do the multiplication first because it's
the first of the highest level of operation
that appears. It is a negative multiplied by
a negative, so we know the answer will be
positive so we just write
{{{(5/6)(9/10)}}}÷{{{(17/20)}}}

We can cancel the 5 into the 10 and write 1
where we had 5 and 2 where we had 10:

{{{(1/6)(9/2)}}}÷{{{(17/20)}}}

We can also cancel the 6 and the 9 by 
dividing both by 3 and putting 3 where
we had 9 and 2 where we had 6

{{{(1/2)(3/2)}}}÷{{{(17/20)}}}
 
Now multiply numerators 1·3 = 3 and 
denominators 2·2 = 4 and we have

{{{(3/4)}}}÷{{{(17/20)}}}

Invert the second fraction and change
division to multiplication:

{{{(3/4)}}}×{{{(20/17)}}}

We can now cancel the 20 and the 4 
by dividing both by 4 and putting 5
where we had 20 and 1 where we had 4.

{{{(3/1)}}}×{{{(5/17)}}}

Finally we multiply numerators
3·5 getting 15, and multiply
denominators 1·17 = 17, and so
the final answer is

{{{15/17}}}

Edwin</pre>