Use PEMDAS (Parentheses, Exponents, Multipy/Divide, Add/Subtract):

3 + (5 + 4) ÷ 4 x 2 - 4²
P: 3 + (9) ÷ 4 x 2 - 4²
E: 3 + 9 ÷ 4 x 2 - 16
MD: 3 + \( \frac{9}{4} \) x 2 - 16
MD: 3 + \( \frac{18}{4} \) - 16
AS: \( \frac{12}{4} \) + \( \frac{18}{4} \) - 16
AS: \( \frac{30}{4} \) - 16
AS: \( \frac{30 - 64}{4} \)
\( \frac{-34}{4} \)
-8\(\frac{1}{2}\)

Calculate the number of vans needed by dividing the number of people that need transported by the capacity of one van:

vans = \( \frac{33}{16} \) = 2\(\frac{1}{16}\)

So, it will take 2 full vans and one partially full van to transport the entire team making a total of 3 vans.

If 44% of the town's 35,000 voters cast ballots the number of votes cast is:

(\( \frac{44}{100} \)) x 35,000 = \( \frac{1,540,000}{100} \) = 15,400

The mayor got 69% of the votes cast which is:

(\( \frac{69}{100} \)) x 15,400 = \( \frac{1,062,600}{100} \) = 10,626 votes.

A factor is a positive integer that divides evenly into a given number. For example, the factors of 8 are 1, 2, 4, and 8.

To convert a negative exponent to a positive exponent, calculate the positive exponent then take the reciprocal.