How do I solve this fraction question? If $a = -1/5$, how do I calculate:
$$3 a + 2 a^2$$
I did $3\times(-1/5) + (-1/5) \times (-1/5) \times 2$, but can't figure out what the right way to solve this is.

That's the correct way.
\begin{align}
\left(3 \times \frac{-1}{5}\right)+\left(\frac{-1}{5} \times 2 \times \frac{-1}{5}\right) &= \frac{-3}{5}+\frac{2}{25} \\
&=\frac{-15}{25}+\frac{2}{25} \\
&= \frac{-13}{25}\\
\end{align}
