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Translate the given word phrase into an algebraic expression:

  1. the difference of 47 and 41
  2. the quotient of 5 x and 2

  1. 47 − 41
  2. 5 x ÷ 2

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Translate the given word phrase into an algebraic expression:

  1. the sum of 17 and 19
  2. the product of 7 and x

  1. 17 + 19
  2. 7 x

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How old will you be in eight years? What age is eight more years than your age now? Did you add 8 to your present age? Eight more than means eight added to your present age.

How old were you seven years ago? This is seven years less than your age now. You subtract 7 from your present age. Seven less than means seven subtracted from your present age.

Translate each word phrase into an algebraic expression:

  1. Eight more than y
  2. Seven less than 9 z

Solution

The key words are more than . They tell us the operation is addition. More than means “added to”.

Eight more than y Eight added to y y + 8

The key words are less than . They tell us the operation is subtraction. Less than means “subtracted from”.

Seven less than 9 z Seven subtracted from 9 z 9 z 7

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Translate each word phrase into an algebraic expression:

  1. Eleven more than x
  2. Fourteen less than 11 a

  1. x + 11
  2. 11 a − 14

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Translate each word phrase into an algebraic expression:

  1. 19 more than j
  2. 21 less than 2 x

  1. j + 19
  2. 2 x − 21

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Translate each word phrase into an algebraic expression:

  1. five times the sum of m and n
  2. the sum of five times m and n

Solution

There are two operation words: times tells us to multiply and sum tells us to add. Because we are multiplying 5 times the sum, we need parentheses around the sum of m and n .

five times the sum of m and n 5 ( m + n )

To take a sum, we look for the words of and and to see what is being added. Here we are taking the sum of five times m and n .

the sum of five times m and n 5 m + n

Notice how the use of parentheses changes the result. In part , we add first and in part , we multiply first.

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Translate the word phrase into an algebraic expression:

  1. four times the sum of p and q
  2. the sum of four times p and q

  1. 4( p + q )
  2. 4 p + q

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Translate the word phrase into an algebraic expression:

  1. the difference of two times x and 8
  2. two times the difference of x and 8

  1. 2 x − 8
  2. 2( x − 8)

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Later in this course, we’ll apply our skills in algebra to solving equations. We’ll usually start by translating a word phrase to an algebraic expression . We’ll need to be clear about what the expression will represent. We’ll see how to do this in the next two examples.

The height of a rectangular window is 6 inches less than the width. Let w represent the width of the window. Write an expression for the height of the window.

Solution

Write a phrase about the height. 6 less than the width
Substitute w for the width. 6 less than w
Rewrite 'less than' as 'subtracted from'. 6 subtracted from w
Translate the phrase into algebra. w 6
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The length of a rectangle is 5 inches less than the width. Let w represent the width of the rectangle. Write an expression for the length of the rectangle.

w − 5

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The width of a rectangle is 2 meters greater than the length. Let l represent the length of the rectangle. Write an expression for the width of the rectangle.

l + 2

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Blanca has dimes and quarters in her purse. The number of dimes is 2 less than 5 times the number of quarters. Let q represent the number of quarters. Write an expression for the number of dimes.

Solution

Write a phrase about the number of dimes. two less than five times the number of quarters
Substitute q for the number of quarters. 2 less than five times q
Translate 5 times q . 2 less than 5 q
Translate the phrase into algebra. 5 q 2
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Practice Key Terms 4

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Source:  OpenStax, Prealgebra. OpenStax CNX. Jul 15, 2016 Download for free at http://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11756/1.9
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