Short Answer

Order of Operations in Corporate Cost Formulas

In a corporate budget training session, an operations coordinator is explaining a cost-reduction model represented by the formula 93(x+2){}9 - 3(x + 2), where xx represents the number of off-peak hours. A trainee asks why they cannot simplify the expression by performing the subtraction first to get 6(x+2){}6(x + 2).

To address this:

  1. State the name of the fundamental mathematical rule or principle that dictates whether subtraction or distribution (multiplication) must be performed first.
  2. Write the correct expanded intermediate expression immediately after distributing the constant factor of -3 (prior to combining any constant terms).

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Updated 2026-06-02

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