brackets
Brackets are your best friend when solving a maths question becuase you HAVE to start with them.
You can't do your calculation across the page in the order it is all written.
regardless WHERE the brackets are you MUST do them first.
Here is an example of WHY you have to do brackets first.
Your questions is: 2 x (5 + 4) = 18
If the brackets were not there and you just worked it out from left to right you would get 14
2 x 5 is 10, then add the 4 and you would get 14 which would be wrong.
Q. What about double brackets.
A. Same technique and same rule
(4 x 3) + (5 x 6) = 12 + 30 = 42
TIP!
If you have several brackets in one question solve each one and write the answer you got near the question. THEN complete the question.
You can't do your calculation across the page in the order it is all written.
regardless WHERE the brackets are you MUST do them first.
Here is an example of WHY you have to do brackets first.
Your questions is: 2 x (5 + 4) = 18
If the brackets were not there and you just worked it out from left to right you would get 14
2 x 5 is 10, then add the 4 and you would get 14 which would be wrong.
Q. What about double brackets.
A. Same technique and same rule
(4 x 3) + (5 x 6) = 12 + 30 = 42
TIP!
If you have several brackets in one question solve each one and write the answer you got near the question. THEN complete the question.