Algebra: Verbal Expressions to Variable Expressions

In questions of Algebra, it is often asked first to convert the verbal expressions into variable expressions and then find the answer of the algebraic expressions. But for most of the students it becomes difficult to convert the verbal expressions and therefore it leads them to wrong solution. An algebraic expression is a number, variable or combination of the two connected by some mathematical operation like addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, exponents, and/or roots.2x + y, a/5, and 10 - r are all examples of algebraic expressions.
In order to convert the verbal expression into variable expression, you want to
1. read the problem carefully,
2. pick out key words and phrases and determine their equivalent mathematical meaning,
3. replace any unknowns with a variable, and
4. Put it all together in an algebraic expression.
Now here are some of the keywords used for the basic operators. i.e., +,-,*,/.
Addition: plus, more than, the sum of, the total of, increased by, added to, etc
Subtraction: minus, less than, the difference of, less, decreased by, subtracted from, etc
Multiplication: multiplied by, times, the product of, twice; double, of, etc
Division: divided by, quotient of, the ratio of, etc.
The really best way to translate verbal expressions into variable expressions is to think about what the verbal expression means, and then think about how you would compute that if you were given numbers. Now here are some examples to clarify the concept.
Example:
Problem: Translate '3 less than x' to a variable expression.
Solution: if you translate it word for word then you get 3-x, which is wrong. Try to understand the context of the verbal expression and then writing the algebraic expression for it. So, think about how you would compute the number that is 3 less than 10. You wouldn't compute 3-10, you would compute 10-3. Now if you write the same thing down with x, you get the right answer of x-3.
Examples:
1. the sum of the product of five and a number and the product of seven and another number
2. a number plus the product of the number and nine
3. the difference between a number and the total of three times the number and six
1. the sum of the product of five and a number and the product of seven and another number.
Now by reading the context cut the expression into parts which make sense, first take product of five and a number. It can be written as 5 multiplied by a variable say x that is
5x.
Now the other part of the expression is product of seven and a number, similarly, it can be written as 7y, where y is another unknown number.
Now, if we combine the two parts of the expression we get, 5x+7y.
2. a number plus the product of the number and nine
first take product of the number and nine. It can be written as 9 multiplied by a number say x or it becomes 9x. so, the whole expression becomes x+9x.
3. the difference between a number and the total of three times the number and six.
The above statement can be written as: the difference between a number and the total of (three times the number) and six. The total of (three times the number) and six' can stand alone, so put a parentheses around it. the difference between a number and (the total of (three times the number) and six).Now work from the inside out. 'three times the number', that's 3x. 'the total of 3x and six', that's 3x+6. 'the difference between a number and (3x+6)', that must be x-(3x+6). Simplifying this we get x-3x-6=-2x-6.
In this way the verbal expressions can be converted into algebraic expressions.


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