How do you simplify (21-3)-(4+2)+(3+5) using PEMDAS?

2 Answers
Jul 27, 2016

See explanation

Explanation:

We must solve in the PEMDAS order. There are three sets of parentheses, so let's solve for those:

21-3=18
4+2=6
3+5=8

We now have 18-6+8

There's no exponents, multiplication, or division. Next up is addition:
6+8=14

18-14

From here it's simple subtraction: 18-14=4

Aug 1, 2016

16

Explanation:

There are 3 terms, each must simplify to a single answer which will be simplified in the LAST step.

color(red)(21-3)color(blue)(-(4+2))color(magenta)(+(3+5))

color(red)(18)color(blue)(-(6))color(magenta)(+8) =18-6+8

Note that this is NOT! " "18 - (6 +8)

We may not add in parentheses where we think they belong.

The additions are +18 + 8 and the subtraction is -6

18+8-6 = 16