Solve the Expression: -5+2-6÷2 Using Order of Operations

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

Order of operations (PEMDAS) is like traffic rules for math! Division has higher priority than addition and subtraction, so you must do $ 6÷2 $ first, even though it appears at the end.

Q: What does the colon (:) mean in 6:2?

The colon (:) is another way to write division, just like ÷. So $ 6:2 $ means the same as $ 6÷2 = 3 $.

Q: How do I handle negative numbers in these problems?

Keep the negative signs attached to their numbers! In $ -5+2-3 $, treat it as: negative 5, plus 2, minus 3. Calculate step by step: $ -5+2 = -3 $, then $ -3-3 = -6 $.

Q: What if I get confused about which operations to do first?

Remember PEMDAS: Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication/Division (left to right), Addition/Subtraction (left to right). When in doubt, look for multiplication and division first!

Q: Why did I get -6 when the first answer choice shows 2?

Getting 2 means you probably calculated $ -5+2 = -3 $, then $ -3-6 = -9 $, then $ -9÷2 = -4.5 $. This ignores the division priority rule. Always do $ 6÷2 = 3 $ first!

Step-by-step video solution

Watch the teacher solve the problem with clear explanations

00:00 Solve

00:03 Always solve multiplication and division before addition and subtraction

00:11 Continue solving according to proper order of operations, from left to right

00:15 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

$-5+2-6:2=$

2

Step-by-step solution

According to the rules of the order of operations, we first solve the division exercise:

$6:2=3$

Now we get the exercise:

$-5+2-3=$

We solve the exercise from left to right:

$-5+2=-3$

$-3-3=-6$

3

Final Answer

$-6$

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

PEMDAS Rule: Division comes before addition and subtraction operations
Technique: First calculate $6÷2 = 3$ , then solve left to right
Check: Verify each step: $-5+2-3 = -3-3 = -6$ ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Solving from left to right without doing division first
Don't calculate -5+2-6÷2 as (-5+2-6)÷2 = -9÷2 = -4.5! This ignores order of operations and gives the wrong answer. Always perform division before addition and subtraction according to PEMDAS.

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

$$ 94+12+6= $$

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

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

+

Order of operations (PEMDAS) is like traffic rules for math! Division has higher priority than addition and subtraction, so you must do $6÷2$ first, even though it appears at the end.

What does the colon (:) mean in 6:2?

+

The colon (:) is another way to write division, just like ÷. So $6:2$ means the same as $6÷2 = 3$ .

How do I handle negative numbers in these problems?

+

Keep the negative signs attached to their numbers! In $-5+2-3$ , treat it as: negative 5, plus 2, minus 3. Calculate step by step: $-5+2 = -3$ , then $-3-3 = -6$ .

What if I get confused about which operations to do first?

+

Remember PEMDAS: Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication/Division (left to right), Addition/Subtraction (left to right). When in doubt, look for multiplication and division first!

Can I use a calculator for these problems?

+

Yes, but be careful! Make sure your calculator follows order of operations. Some basic calculators solve strictly left to right, which would give the wrong answer for problems like this.

Why did I get -6 when the first answer choice shows 2?

+

Getting 2 means you probably calculated $-5+2 = -3$ , then $-3-6 = -9$ , then $-9÷2 = -4.5$ . This ignores the division priority rule. Always do $6÷2 = 3$ first!

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Solve the Expression: -5+2-6÷2 Using Order of Operations

Order of Operations with Division Priority

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