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

5 + (3 + 4) ÷ 2 x 3 - 5²
P: 5 + (7) ÷ 2 x 3 - 5²
E: 5 + 7 ÷ 2 x 3 - 25
MD: 5 + \( \frac{7}{2} \) x 3 - 25
MD: 5 + \( \frac{21}{2} \) - 25
AS: \( \frac{10}{2} \) + \( \frac{21}{2} \) - 25
AS: \( \frac{31}{2} \) - 25
AS: \( \frac{31 - 50}{2} \)
\( \frac{-19}{2} \)
-9\(\frac{1}{2}\)

If a single cook can bake 2 large cakes per hour and the kitchen is available for 2 hours, a single cook can bake 2 x 2 = 4 large cakes during that time. 40 large cakes are needed for the party so \( \frac{40}{4} \) = 10 cooks are needed to bake the required number of large cakes.

If a single cook can bake 17 small cakes per hour and the kitchen is available for 2 hours, a single cook can bake 17 x 2 = 34 small cakes during that time. 180 small cakes are needed for the party so \( \frac{180}{34} \) = 5\(\frac{5}{17}\) cooks are needed to bake the required number of small cakes.

Because you can't employ a fractional cook, round the number of cooks needed for each type of cake up to the next whole number resulting in 10 + 6 = 16 cooks.

To multiply fractions, multiply the numerators together and then multiply the denominators together:

\( \frac{3}{9} \) x \( \frac{3}{8} \) = \( \frac{3 x 3}{9 x 8} \) = \( \frac{9}{72} \) = \(\frac{1}{8}\)

An integer is any whole number, including zero. An integer can be either positive or negative. Examples include -77, -1, 0, 55, 119.

The absolute value is the positive magnitude of a particular number or variable and is indicated by two vertical lines: \(\left|-5\right| = 5\). In the case of a variable absolute value (\(\left|a\right| = 5\)) the value of a can be either positive or negative (a = -5 or a = 5).