Solve Decimal Expression: 5.25-(1.75+2.5) Using Order of Operations

Q: Why can't I just solve from left to right?

Mathematical expressions follow order of operations (PEMDAS/BODMAS), not reading order! Parentheses always come first, so you must calculate $ 1.75 + 2.5 $ before doing any subtraction.

Q: Do I need to show my work for simple decimal problems?

Yes! Showing each step helps you avoid mistakes and makes it easier to find errors. Write: Step 1 (parentheses), Step 2 (subtraction), then your final answer.

Q: Why is the answer a whole number when I started with decimals?

That's totally normal! When you subtract $ 5.25 - 4.25 $, the decimal parts (.25) cancel out, leaving you with $ 5 - 4 = 1 $. Decimals can definitely result in whole numbers!

Step-by-step video solution

Watch the teacher solve the problem with clear explanations

00:00 Solve

00:03 When opening parentheses, minus times plus always equals minus

00:09 We will use this formula in our exercise

00:16 We will solve according to the order of operations from left to right

00:23 We will use long subtraction and substitute in our exercise

00:37 Let's continue solving

00:40 And this is the solution to the question

Step-by-step written solution

Follow each step carefully to understand the complete solution

1

Understand the problem

$5.25-(1.75+2.5)=$

2

Step-by-step solution

Let's solve the expression step-by-step:

Step 1: Evaluate the expression inside the parentheses.
Calculate $1.75 + 2.5$ .

When you add $1.75$ and $2.5$ , the result is:

$1.75 + 2.5 = 4.25$ .
Step 2: Subtract the result from $5.25$ .
Now compute the expression $5.25 - 4.25$ .

The subtraction gives us:

$5.25 - 4.25 = 1$ .

Thus, the solution to the problem is $1$ .

3

Final Answer

1

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

Rule: Always solve expressions inside parentheses first
Technique: Calculate $1.75 + 2.5 = 4.25$ before subtracting
Check: Verify $5.25 - 4.25 = 1$ by adding back ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Solving from left to right without considering parentheses
Don't calculate 5.25 - 1.75 = 3.5 first! This ignores the parentheses and gives 3.5 + 2.5 = 6, which is wrong. Always follow PEMDAS/BODMAS and solve parentheses first.

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

$70:(14\times5)=$

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why can't I just solve from left to right?

+

Mathematical expressions follow order of operations (PEMDAS/BODMAS), not reading order! Parentheses always come first, so you must calculate $1.75 + 2.5$ before doing any subtraction.

How do I add decimals like 1.75 + 2.5?

+

Line up the decimal points vertically: 1.75 + 2.50 = 4.25. You can add a zero to 2.5 to make it easier: 2.50 has the same value as 2.5!

What if I get a different answer when checking?

+

Go back and check each step carefully! Make sure you calculated the parentheses first: $1.75 + 2.5 = 4.25$ , then subtracted: $5.25 - 4.25 = 1$ .

Do I need to show my work for simple decimal problems?

+

Yes! Showing each step helps you avoid mistakes and makes it easier to find errors. Write: Step 1 (parentheses), Step 2 (subtraction), then your final answer.

Why is the answer a whole number when I started with decimals?

+

That's totally normal! When you subtract $5.25 - 4.25$ , the decimal parts (.25) cancel out, leaving you with $5 - 4 = 1$ . Decimals can definitely result in whole numbers!

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Solve Decimal Expression: 5.25-(1.75+2.5) Using Order of Operations

Order of Operations with Decimal Numbers

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