Question: Which is the last operation performed when evaluating $$(8 - 2x)^2 + 4$$ for $x = 3$? addition multiplication subtraction applying the exponent
1. **State the problem:** We need to find the last operation performed when evaluating the expression $$(8 - 2x)^2 + 4$$ for $x = 3$.
2. **Substitute the value:** Replace $x$ with $3$ in the expression:
$$ (8 - 2 \times 3)^2 + 4 $$
3. **Follow the order of operations (PEMDAS/BODMAS):**
- Parentheses first
- Exponents second
- Multiplication and division third
- Addition and subtraction last
4. **Evaluate inside the parentheses:**
$$ 8 - 2 \times 3 = 8 - 6 = 2 $$
5. **Rewrite the expression:**
$$ (2)^2 + 4 $$
6. **Apply the exponent:**
$$ 2^2 = 4 $$
7. **Rewrite the expression:**
$$ 4 + 4 $$
8. **Perform the addition:**
$$ 4 + 4 = 8 $$
9. **Conclusion:** The last operation performed is the **addition**.
**Final answer:** addition