How do you simplify #40 - 35 / 5 * 2 + 4# using PEMDAS?

1 Answer
Aug 2, 2016

#30#

Explanation:

There are 3 terms. Keep them separate until the last step when we can do the additions and subtractions.

#color(magenta)(40)color(blue)( - 35 / 5 * 2) color(red)(+ 4)#

#color(magenta)(40)color(blue)( - (cancel35^7xx2)/cancel5) color(red)(+ 4)#

#color(magenta)(40)color(blue)( - 14 color(red)(+ 4) " Note: this is NOT "color(magenta)(40)color(blue)( - (14 +4)) #

Place the additions at the beginning for ease of calculation.

#color(magenta)(40) color(red)(+ 4)color(blue)( - 14 #

=#30#