((3^2-4*3+4)/(9^2-4)) A. The calc telling answer is 1/77 B. the book telling me 1/5 C. do you add first or subtracted or go right to left?

Looks like you're working on BEDMAS

Brackets

Exponents

Division

Multiplication

Addition

Subtraction

This is the basic order of operations in math.

If I were to apply BEDMAS to your formula:

((3^2-4*3+4)/(9^2-4))

As the entire equation is in outer brackets, we can remove the brackets:

(3^2-4*3+4)/(9^2-4)

Next is the first bracket (the numerator):

(3^2-4*3+4)

Remove the brackets again (no expansion needed here):

3^2-4*3+4

Next is exponents, so we'll clear 3^2 up first:

9-4*3+4

There is no division in the numerator, so we'll move on to multiplication:

9 - 12 + 4

Then addition and subtraction:

The numerator is 1.

As for the denominator:

(9^2-4)

Remove the outer brackets:

9^2-4

Exponent:

81 - 4

No multiplication, division or addition, so we'll move right into subtraction:

The denominator is 77.

The answer is 1/77.

Are you sure you're reading the answer in the book right?

Note: Some may call it PMDAS:

Parenthesis (same as brackets)

Multiplication (exponents are a form of multiplication)

The rest is the same.