is x+3 the same as 3+x

Question

I'm working in a school where my cooperating teacher is doing expressions with 6th grade. She says that "a number added to 10" is 10+y and NOT y+10. But doesn't the law of addition say that it doesn't matter which way it goes??? For example, 3+5=5+3. Another thing she said, "seven more than a number squared" she says is x^2 +7 and NOT 7+x^2. Aren't they both correct??? This woman drives me mad!

Answer 1

You are both correct.

As you stated addition is commutative in the real number system so that x+y = y+x.

However, your teacher is trying to teach you a very important lesson about translation of English into mathematics which works better if you translate directly.