Simply and Combine like terms

KUfan

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Aug 26, 2011
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I am having trouble with the problem:
8+6(-11-3*2)
----------------
-62+2*19

*=times

The key in the back of the book is giving me the answer of -47, but I've worked the problem over and over again and don't get that answer!
 
I was trying to use the distributive property in the numerator, which I have done with all the other problems on the page and have came up with the right answer. I wonder why it does not work with this problem. I also thought -62 was equal to -6*-6 which I thought equaled positive 36 + 38 in the denominator. Why is -62 not equal to a positive number? Is it not true that a negative times a negative equals a positive. I'm confused! This is the only problem I had difficulties with. Thank you for your help.
 
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In MS-Excel

if you type in a cell = -6^2 it will display 36

if you type in a cell = 4 - 6^2 it will display -32

if you type in a cell = - 6^2 + 4 it will display 40

So be careful about quirkiness of different softwares .....
 
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