Using the order of operations, what should be done first when evaluating this expression? negative 1 half divided by 2 times open paren 9 plus 3 close paren minus 4 minus 3 fourths times 8

Order of operations says to evaluate expressions inside parentheses before division, multiplication, or subtraction. The expression 9 + 3 is inside the parentheses, so adding 9 and 3 is the first step. Therefore, the correct choice is “Add 9 plus 3.”

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