399,223 views
35 votes
35 votes
Beth says 20-5x3 is 45, pat says 20-5x3 is 5. who is right?​

User Unnie
by
3.0k points

2 Answers

22 votes
22 votes

Answer:

Pat is right

Explanation:

first multiply/divide then add/subtract,

Beth: 20 - 15 = 45 => 5 ≠ 45

Pat: 20 - 15 = 5 => 5 = 5

User Kanish Mathew
by
3.0k points
11 votes
11 votes

Answer:

Pat

Explanation:

There is only one correct answer. To find it, you must follow the correct order of operations.

There is a subtraction and a multiplication. There are no parentheses.

The rule is that you must do the multiplication before the subtraction.

20 - 5 * 3 =

= 20 - 15

= 5

In order to get Beth's answer, you'd have to do the subtraction first. If there were parentheses like this: (20 - 5) * 3, then you'd do the subtraction first getting 15 * 3 which is 45, but the problem has no parentheses, so the correct answer is 5.

The correct answer is 5, and Pat is correct.

Answer: Pat

User Kweku
by
2.9k points