🔤 Key Words & Their Math Symbols
- ADDITION (+): sum, more than, increased by, plus, added to, total
- SUBTRACTION (−): difference, less than, decreased by, minus, fewer than
- MULTIPLICATION (×): product, times, of, multiplied by, twice (×2), triple (×3)
- DIVISION (÷): quotient, divided by, per, ratio, split equally
- EQUALS (=): is, equals, gives, results in, the same as
- VARIABLE: "a number" or "some number" → use n or x
5 more than a number
n + 5
- "More than" → add to n
- Always write: n + 5
3 times a number
3n
- "Times" → multiply
- 3 × n = 3n
A number divided by 4
n ÷ 4
- "Divided by" → ÷
- n / 4 or n ÷ 4
Twice a number minus 7
2n − 7
- "Twice" = ×2
- Then subtract 7
✏️ Practice — Translate These!
- "The sum of a number and 9" → n + 9
- "7 less than twice a number" → 2n − 7
- "The product of 4 and a number, decreased by 3" → 4n − 3
- WATCH OUT: "less than" flips order! "3 less than n" = n − 3, NOT 3 − n
🔢 Desmos Strategies
3 Ways to Get the Answer!
Strategy 1: Evaluate / Find a Value
- Type problem with CAPITAL letters
- e.g. 3*N - 7
- Use slider for N
- Set N = your number
- Desmos calculates the value!
- CHECK: does it match the words?
Strategy 2: Graph / Visualize
- Type y = 3*x - 7 (lowercase)
- See the LINE for all values
- Two expressions = same line?
- YES → they are equivalent!
- X-intercept = where y = 0
- Use graph to verify translations
Strategy 3: Generate Table
- Type y = 3*x - 7 in Desmos
- Click the + icon → Table
- Desmos fills in x & y values
- Pick any row to verify your
- translation is correct!
- Table confirms your algebra!
Remember This!
- "MORE THAN" flips order! "5 more than n" = n+5 | "LESS THAN" flips too! "3 less than n" = n−3 (NOT 3−n)
- Always circle the KEY WORD first, then write the math symbol.
- The VARIABLE goes where it says "a number" or "some number" in the sentence.