When reading an English sentence and writing an algebraic expression to represent it, there are many words and phrases that "clue you in" to which operation to use.
English Expression | Algebraic Expression |
| a number plus five | a + 5 or 5 + a |
| the sum of a number and five |
| a number increased by five |
| five more than a number |
| add five to a number |
| a number minus eight | h - 8 |
| subtract eight from a number |
| a number decreased by eight |
| eight less than a number |
| eight subtracted from a number |
| eight minus a number | 8 - x |
| subtract a number from eight |
| eight decreased by a number |
| a number less than eight |
| a number subtracted from eight |
Why are there two boxes for subtraction and only one for addition?
The word order is very important in subtraction. You will learn more about this in Module 2.
| two times a number | 2 * m or m * 2 |
| the product of two and a number |
| twice a number |
| a number doubled |
| double a number |
| six divided by a number | 6 ÷ m |
| a number divided into six |
| the quotient of six and a number |
| a number divided by six | m ÷ 6 |
| six divided into a number |
| the quotient of a number and six |
Why are there two boxes for division and only one for multiplication?
Yes, word order is also very important in division. Again, you will learn more about this in Module 2.