Question

[-2(12-3)/3]^2

Answer 1

Use PEMDAS

Please excuse my dear aunt sally. Left to right

perenthesis exponents multiplication division addition subtraction

Answer 2

(12-3) = 9

Answer 3

9^2?

Answer 4

the thing to know is that the brackets [] are treated as parentheses.

Answer 5

the first step is look at stuff in side the parens.
you found (12-3) = 9

that is good.

Answer 6

do i do 9^2?

Answer 7

you replace the (12-3) with 9 in the original problem

[-2(12-3)/3]^2
becomes
[ -2*9/3 ]^2

you still have parens with stuff inside them. Focus on the just
[ -2*9/3] and simplify that

then tackle the ^2 part