can you help me answer this question (17-5)/3x2

This is very bad form. It is like writing an english sentence without any punctionation where the meaning is quite different with a comma inserted. As it stands it is confusing which I assume is the reason you have asked. The rules pf precidence say that we should perform any operation inside parentheses first and then divide before we multiply. Hence I would get

(17-5)/32 = 12/32 = 42 = 8

I would however never write this expression. I would write

((17-5)/3)2

and there would be no confusion.

Penny