Solve the Arithmetic Expression: 3 + 2 - 11

Q: Why do I work from left to right instead of doing all addition first?

Addition and subtraction have equal priority in order of operations! When operations have the same priority, you must work from left to right. Only multiplication and division come before addition and subtraction.

Q: Can I rewrite this as 3 + 2 + (-11)?

Yes! Subtracting 11 is the same as adding -11. So $ 3 + 2 + (-11) = 5 + (-11) = -6 $. This can help you visualize the problem better.

Order of Operations with Negative Results

$3+2-11=$

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Step-by-step video solution

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00:00 Solve

00:03 We will solve according to the order of arithmetic operations, from left to right

00:10 And this is the solution to the question

Step-by-step written solution

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Understand the problem

$3+2-11=$

Step-by-step solution

According to the order of operations, we solve the exercise from left to right:

$3+2=5$

$5-11=-6$

Final Answer

$-6$

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

Rule: Work from left to right for addition and subtraction
Technique: First calculate 3 + 2 = 5, then 5 - 11 = -6
Check: Verify by working backwards: -6 + 11 = 5, then 5 - 2 = 3 ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Doing subtraction before addition
Don't calculate 2 - 11 = -9 first, then 3 + (-9) = -6! This breaks the left-to-right rule and confuses the order. Always work strictly from left to right when operations have equal priority.

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

$$ 94+12+6= $$

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why do I work from left to right instead of doing all addition first?

Addition and subtraction have equal priority in order of operations! When operations have the same priority, you must work from left to right. Only multiplication and division come before addition and subtraction.

How do I handle the negative result?

Negative results are completely normal! When you subtract a larger number from a smaller one, you get a negative answer. Think of it as owing 6 units: 5 - 11 = -6.

What if I accidentally did 3 + 2 - 11 as 3 + (2 - 11)?

That would give you 3 + (-9) = -6, which happens to be the same answer! But this is incorrect reasoning. Always follow left-to-right order to avoid mistakes on other problems.

Can I rewrite this as 3 + 2 + (-11)?

Yes! Subtracting 11 is the same as adding -11. So $3 + 2 + (-11) = 5 + (-11) = -6$ . This can help you visualize the problem better.

How do I check if -6 is really correct?

Work backwards! Start with -6, add 11 to get 5, then subtract 2 to get 3. Since you end up with your starting number, -6 is correct!

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