Question

How do you simplify `(6^{2}-2^{2})\div (4^{1}-1^{2}+1)\times (8+10)`?

Answer 1

Use order of operations to get `144`.

Explanation:

`(6^2-2^2)-:(4^1-1^1+1)xx(8+10)`

This is an order of operations problem. The order of operations is:

Parentheses (do the work inside the parentheses first)
Exponents
Multiplication/Division (these are "tied", do these left to right)
Addition/Subtraction (also "tied", do left to right)

In our problem, first do the work inside the parentheses, starting with the exponents.

`(36-4)-:(4-1+1)xx(8+10)`

Finish the work inside the parentheses.

`32-:4xx18`

Next do the multiplication and division from left to right.

`8xx18`

`144`