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Difficulty: EasyTranslating Word Phrases into Algebraic Equations

A word problem describes a quantity as being 'ten less than three times a number, xx'. What is the correct algebraic expression for this quantity?

  1. 3x−103x - 10Answer
  2. B
    10−3x10 - 3x
  3. C
    3(x−10)3(x - 10)
  4. D
    3x+103x + 10

Answer

The correct mathematical expression is 3x−103x - 10.
The phrase 'three times a number, xx' translates directly to 3x3x. The phrase 'ten less than' indicates a subtraction of 1010 from that initial quantity. Therefore, the correct combined expression is 3x−103x - 10.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Translate the multiplication part of the phrase: 'three times a number, xx'.
3x3x
The word 'times' indicates multiplication between 33 and the variable xx.
2
Translate the subtraction part of the phrase: 'ten less than'.
Subtract 1010 from the result of step 1.
The phrase 'less than' is a turnaround phrase, meaning the value that comes before 'less than' must be subtracted from the value that comes after it.
3
Combine the translated parts into a single expression.
3x−103x - 10
This correctly places the subtraction after the multiplied term.

Key Concept

Translating Word Phrases into Algebraic Equations
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Topics

Translating Word Phrases into Algebraic Equations

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