order of operations problem involving negative integers

[buggysmells]

Two 6th grade teachers and almost all of the class have different answer than my daughter. I think my daughter is right. Please let me know what the right answer is.

(4)(4)-4(-5)(-1)=x solve for x


thank you for your help.

 

[Deleted member 4993]

Two 6th grade teachers and almost all of the class have different answer than my daughter. I think my daughter is right. Please let me know what the right answer is.

(4)(4)-4(-5)(-1)=x solve for x


thank you for your help.

Please tell us what did your daughter get as the answer and the process through which she got it.

 

[Harry_the_cat]

Two 6th grade teachers and almost all of the class have different answer than my daughter. I think my daughter is right. Please let me know what the right answer is.

(4)(4)-4(-5)(-1)=x solve for x


thank you for your help.

(4)(4)-4(-5)(-1) = 16 - 20 = -4

What did your daughter have?

 

[buggysmells]

Please tell us what did your daughter get as the answer and the process through which she got it.

My daughter and I got -4. The teachers insist the answer is -320.

 

[ksdhart2]

My daughter and I got -4. The teachers insist the answer is -320.

Well, the way I see it, there's only two possibilities here. Somebody (either you and your daughter, or the teachers) read/copied down the problem wrong. Your answer is absolutely correct, assuming that the problem was exactly as you wrote in your initial post. If, however, you missed a set of parentheses when copying down the problem, and it's really:

(4)(4)(-4)(-5)(-1) = x

Then the teachers' answer is correct. Can you see why those parentheses make a huge difference in the answer? I'd double check your work, and if you did indeed copy the problem correctly, then it's appropriate to revisit the problem with your daughter's teacher(s). Though, if you do, please remember that they're only human and most likely made an error, rather than acting out of malice.

 

[lookagain]

Or the -4 moved to beginning: -4(4)(4)(-5)(-1) = 320

-4(4)(4)(-5)(-1) = -320

 

[Steven G]

My daughter and I got -4. The teachers insist the answer is -320.

I insist that both teachers are wrong. Where do they get these teachers from?

 

[Steven G]

Or the -4 moved to beginning: -4(4)(4)(-5)(-1) = -320

I think it is a figment of your imagination.

 

[Vanice]

Two 6th grade teachers and almost all of the class have different answer than my daughter. I think my daughter is right. Please let me know what the right answer is.

(4)(4)-4(-5)(-1)=x solve for x


thank you for your help.

It's -320. Because 4 x 4 x -4 x -5 x -1 is -320