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Division Before Multiplication – Left to Right

publish date: 1969/12/31 00:00:00 UTC

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Evaluate (working strictly left to right): \(40 \div (-4) \cdot 5\)

Correct Answer

\(-50\)

Explanation

Division and multiplication have equal priority — work left to right:

  1. \(40 \div (-4) = -10\)
  2. \(-10 \cdot 5 = -50\)

Common mistake: multiplying first gives \(40 \div (-20) = -2\) — this is wrong!

Reference

Mathematics for college students

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