Why Does Adding a Bracket Change My Equation Result?

[Gringo123]

I'm studying expanding and simplifying brackets and I'm not sure how to tackle this type of problem:

-3e + (e - 1)

It's the + sign before the bracket that confuses me. My (wrong) answer was:
-3e squared + 3e
I guess that would have been right if that + wasn't there.
The answer is:
-3e - 1

How do I get to that?

 

[Fightfish]

No...that is not the answer...it should be -2e - 1.
To tackle the problem, just apply the sign to the terms inside the brackets.
So, -3e + (e-1) = -3e + e - 1
(+ * + = +, + * - = -)

 

[Gringo123]

Got it! Thanks once again Fightfish!

 

[Mark44]

I'm studying expanding and simplifying brackets and I'm not sure how to tackle this type of problem:

-3e + (e - 1)

In this expression the parentheses (brackets are [ ]) are completely unnecessary.
-3e + (e - 1) = -3e + e -1 = -2e - 1.

You are interpreting this problem incorrectly as a multiplication problem even though the operation is really addition. In other words, you are working this problem:
-3e(e -1) = -3e² + 3e.

It's the + sign before the bracket that confuses me. My (wrong) answer was:
-3e squared + 3e
I guess that would have been right if that + wasn't there.
The answer is:
-3e - 1

How do I get to that?