Essay

Recalling the Order of Operations with Absolute Value Grouping

An office manager uses the formula 19114(31){}19 - |11 - 4(3 - 1)| to calculate the final number of surplus promotional kits remaining at the end of a sales campaign. To train a new assistant on budget reporting, the manager needs a written explanation of how this formula is evaluated.

Recall the standard order of operations (specifically focusing on grouping symbols and the hierarchy of arithmetic operations) and write an essay explaining step-by-step how to simplify the expression 19114(31){}19 - |11 - 4(3 - 1)|.

In your explanation, be sure to:

  1. Identify which grouping symbols must be evaluated first and why.
  2. Explain the role of the absolute value bars in the order of operations.
  3. Detail the sequence of arithmetic operations (subtraction, multiplication) performed inside the absolute value bars.
  4. Show the final evaluation and subtraction to arrive at the result.

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Updated 2026-06-03

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