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Chase simplified the expression -2 x (5 - 3) and found -2 x 2 = 4. Is Chase correct? Explain why.

User OctavianM
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

Chase made an error by disregarding the sign. The correct answer is -4 because when a negative number is multiplied by a positive number, the result is negative.

Step-by-step explanation:

No, Chase is not correct. The expression -2 x (5 - 3) involves first simplifying the expression inside the parentheses which is 5 - 3, resulting in 2. Then we multiply this result by -2, which according to the rules of multiplication where a negative and a positive number are multiplied, the answer is negative. Therefore, the multiplication should be -2 x 2, which equals -4, not 4. Chase made a mistake with the sign of the result after performing the multiplication.

User Jens Peter
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