Question

Which one of the following expressions does not evaluate to3? A)2 + 16 % 5 B)7 - 15 / 4 C)6 * 5 / 10 D)2 - 4 * 3 + 26 / 2 E)8 - 5

Answer 1

The given mathematical expressions utilize the order of operations (PEMDAS). After calculating each expression following these rules, it's found that all but one option (B: 7 - 15 / 4) evaluates to 3.

Step-by-step explanation:

This question pertains to the concepts of basic arithmetic and the order of operations, often remembered by the acronym PEMDAS, which stands for Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division (from left to right), Addition and Subtraction (from left to right).

Let's evaluate each expression:

1. A) 2 + 16 % 5: According to the order of operations, perform the modulus operation first. 16 % 5 equals 1 (as it gives the remainder of the division of 16 by 5), then add 2. So, 2 + 1 equals 3.
2. B) 7 - 15 / 4: Perform the division operation first. 15 / 4 equals 3.75 (rounding to two decimal places). Now subtract 3.75 from 7 to give 3.25; thus, option B does not evaluate to 3.
3. C) 6 * 5 / 10: According to the order of operations, perform the multiplication operation first (6*5 equals 30) and then divide by 10, which gives 3.
4. D) 2 - 4 * 3 + 26 / 2: This one is more complex due to the existence of multiple operations. Proceeding according to PEMDAS, first perform the multiplication and division operations: 4 * 3 is 12 and 26 / 2 is 13. Now perform the additions and subtractions: 2 - 12 + 13 equals 3.
5. E) 8 - 5: Simple subtraction gives 3.

So, the expression that does not evaluate to 3 is option B, or 7 - 15 / 4, which equals to 3.25.

Learn more about Order of Operations