Answer:
Each person pays $8
Explanation:
The entire sum must be divided by 4.
"three appetizers that cost $8 each": 3 * 8
"two desserts that cost $4 each": 2 * 4
The total cost is 3 * 8 + 2 * 4
Now you must divide the entire sum by 4, so if you write it in a single line, you must use parentheses.
(3 * 8 + 2 * 4)/4 =
= (24 + 8)/4
= 32/4
= 8
Using fractions, it looks like this:




The important lesson from this is that a fraction line is a division but it also means that the numerator must be calculated first, then the denominator must be calculated too, then you divide. When you do not write it as a fraction, but instead, you write in a single line, you must use parentheses where appropriate.