My math skills were weak in school, but I did manage to dredge up the multiplication rule from somewhere in the depths of my brain.

Thanks everyone. I am going with what Redz wrote and saying that, that is my problem ("They added those "rules" much later, leaving out the much needed
parentheses and forcing students to remember the rules.") That's my story and I'm sticking to it!!

I absolutely LOVED algebra, but I cannot remember a thing about it anymore. I have no children or grandchildren to try to help (or to be teaching me) so...