Final answer:
The first step in solving the mathematical problem 7+9-4×2-6÷2 is to perform multiplication and division before addition and subtraction, in adherence to the order of operations (PEMDAS). Simplify the equation by calculating 4×2 and 6÷2 first, then proceed with addition and subtraction, and check if the answer is reasonable.
Step-by-step explanation:
The appropriate first step to solve the problem 7+9-4×2-6÷2 would be to apply the order of operations, often remembered by the acronym PEMDAS which stands for Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division (from left to right), and Addition and Subtraction (from left to right).
So, the first step is to perform the multiplication and division before doing the addition and subtraction.
You would first solve 4×2, which equals 8, and then solve 6÷2, which equals 3. After simplifying the equation it would look like this: 7+9-8-3.
Only after these steps should you proceed to add and subtract to find the final answer.
Finally, check the answer to see if it is reasonable. This includes ensuring the operations were performed in the correct order and that the calculations were done accurately.