Which expression simplifies to a positive whole number? 5 + (-3) times 4 A) 8 B) 4 C) -7 D) 0
Understand the Problem
The question is asking which of the provided options is the result of simplifying the expression $5 + (-3) \times 4$. We will evaluate the expression step by step to find the correct answer.
Answer
The result of simplifying the expression is $-7$.
Answer for screen readers
The final answer is $-7$.
Steps to Solve
- Identify the operations in the expression
The expression to simplify is $5 + (-3) \times 4$. We need to remember the order of operations, which tells us to perform multiplication before addition.
- Perform the multiplication
First, calculate $(-3) \times 4$. This can be done as follows:
$$ (-3) \times 4 = -12 $$
- Add the result to 5
Now, substitute the result of the multiplication back into the expression and perform the addition:
$$ 5 + (-12) = 5 - 12 $$
- Calculate the final result
Next, calculate $5 - 12$:
$$ 5 - 12 = -7 $$
The final answer is $-7$.
More Information
The expression $5 + (-3) \times 4$ demonstrates both multiplication and addition with negative numbers. This outcome shows how operations follow the order of operations (multiplication before addition) and how negative values affect results.
Tips
One common mistake is forgetting the order of operations and attempting to add before multiplying. Always remember to handle multiplication first in such expressions.
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