Question

En said the value of the expression 72-8^2 +6*3 is 50. What mistake did Ben make? Correct Ben’s mistake and give the value of the solution ( numerical expression) Dhow your work and explain your answer.

Answer 1

Given:

$72-\frac{8}{2}+6\times3$

He does mistake in the order of giving preference.

We should give preference in the order, division, multiplication, addition, subtraction.

But, he gave the first preferrence to the subtraction.

72-8=64

Next, he used division

64/2=32

Next he adds 32 with 8.

So, he gets 50.

But the actual simplification is,

Simplifying we get,

$\begin{gathered} 72-\frac{8}{2}+6\times3=72-4+18 \\ =68+18 \\ =86 \end{gathered}$

Hence, the correct value of the expression is 86.