26/3 (improper fraction) 8.667
Because you have to go in the order of PEMDAS, parenthesis, exponents, multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction. From what you are saying, 'why you must simplify 3 to the second power first' it seems that you have no parenthesis, so you move onto what is next, which is exponents, in this case, 3 to the power of two.
If the average rates were 20 and 25 miles per hour, then together they cover 45 miles of the distance they are separated by per hour. The ships will be 30 miles apart when 270 miles have been covered, so it takes 270/45=6 hours to cover the distance. 6 hours after 5 PM is 11:00 PM.
2(x + y) or 2y+x or 2x(x + y)
