Final answer:
Chen's mistake lies in changing -(-5) to +2 instead of +5. The correct steps are to convert the subtraction of a negative to addition, resulting in -3 + 5 + 7, and then add the numbers to get the correct answer, which is 9.
Step-by-step explanation:
The mistake made by Chen occurred when evaluating the expression -3-(-5)+(7). When subtracting a negative number, the two negatives become a positive, which Chen correctly identified in the first step.
However, the mistake came when Chen incorrectly changed -(-5) to (+2) instead of (+5).
Here's a step-by-step explanation to find the correct value:
- Start with the original expression: -3-(-5)+(7).
- Subtracting a negative is the same as adding: -3 + 5 + 7.
- Add the numbers together: Since -3 and 5 have opposite signs, find the difference, which is 2. Then add 7, resulting in 9.
The correct solution to the expression is therefore 9.