College Algebra / Unit 1 Alg 012 short lesson, about 20 seconds
The Invisible-Parentheses Error
Captions available
The idea
The invisible-parentheses error reads −3² as (−3)² and answers 9; the parentheses are not there, and the value is −9.
In practice
On an exam line, −5² + 25 equals 0, not 50. The error adds parentheses the problem never wrote.
Where people slip
Calculators disagree on this keystroke; the notation does not.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Builds on
- Nothing. This is a starting point.
Unlocks
- Nothing yet depends on this.
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