Question
Sandy evaluated the expression below.
(negative 2) cubed (6 minus 3) minus 5 (2 + 3) = (negative 2) cubed (3) minus 5 (5) = 8 (3) minus 25 = 24 minus 25 = negative 1
What was Sandy’s error?
Sandy should have evaluated (negative 2) cubed as –8.
Sandy should have not multiplied 5 and 5.
Sandy did not add 2 and 3 correctly.
Sandy should have not subtracted 3 from 6 first.
(negative 2) cubed (6 minus 3) minus 5 (2 + 3) = (negative 2) cubed (3) minus 5 (5) = 8 (3) minus 25 = 24 minus 25 = negative 1
What was Sandy’s error?
Sandy should have evaluated (negative 2) cubed as –8.
Sandy should have not multiplied 5 and 5.
Sandy did not add 2 and 3 correctly.
Sandy should have not subtracted 3 from 6 first.
Answers
GPT-5 mini
Sandy’s error was evaluating (−2)³ as 8. Since the exponent is odd, (−2)³ = −8, so the first product should be (−8)(3) = −24, giving −24 − 25 = −49.