Algebraic expression

Question

How do I write an algebraic expression:

Five time the sum of a number and 4

Answer 1

Let's start with the expression:

Five time the sum of a number and 4.

Let's let "a number" be X.

Five time the sum of X and 4

When it says "Five times the sum", we know that the next two variables will be added together.

Five time (the sum of X and 4)

When you see " the sum of" some number and another number, this means both numbers will be added together.

Five times (X + 4)

"times" means multiplication so the end expression is

5 x (X + 4)

In math, when you have a number next to parenthesis, multiplication is implied.

5(X+4)

Answer 2

1. Write down what you know for sure:

5 times some expression which we will refer to as "unknown".

5 x (unknown)

2. The unknown is the sum of a number and 4

In this case, 'a number' is some variable which could be represented by x,y,z or any other letter.

For this problem, let's use the letter "z" to represent our variable.

"a number" = Z

This is then added or "summed" to the number 4.

Unknown = Z + 4

3. Combine your step 1 and step 2



Step 1 we discovered we have 5 x (unknown)

Step 2 we uncovered that unknown = Z + 4

Effectively, the algebraic expression is then,

5 x (Z + 4)

or 5(Z+4)