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Exercises Expressions, exponents and radicals

Example 2.8 from Prealgebra, 2.1 Use the Language of Algebra

Use the Language of Algebra: example 2.8

Simplify the expressions:

ⓐ $4 + 3 \cdot 7$
ⓑ $(4 + 3) \cdot 7$

Work it out on paper first. Then open the solution one step at a time, and stop as soon as you can finish on your own.

Solution

ⓐ

Are there any parentheses? No.

Are there any exponents? No.

Is there any multiplication or division? Yes.

Multiply first.

Add.

ⓑ

Are there any parentheses? Yes.

Simplify inside the parentheses.

Are there any exponents? No.

Is there any multiplication or division? Yes.

Multiply.

Your turn

The book's Try It right after this example: same idea, new numbers. Only the answer is given.

Simplify the expressions:

ⓐ $12 - 5 \cdot 2$
ⓑ $(12 - 5) \cdot 2$

How did it go?

PreviousUse the Language of Algebra: example 2.7 Next Use the Language of Algebra: example 2.9

From Prealgebra (1st edition) by OpenStax (Rice University), section 2.1, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Original at openstax.org. We split the solution into steps; the words, numbers and figures are the book's. OpenStax doesn't endorse this site.