What is the answer??

Question

Five times the sum of a number and 21

 is greater than 16.

.

Answer 1

This verbal phrase can be directly translated into an algebraic statement.

You know you have to use a variable because the phrase says, “a number.”

You know the statement will be an inequality because the statement says “is greater than”.

”times” means to multiply

“the sum” means the answer to adding two numbers together

So let’s go back to the statement, and translate it into mathematical notation.

“Five times the sum of a number and 21 is greater than 16”

5 * (x + 21) > 16 [must out the addition into parenthesis so it is only the answer multiplied, “the sum”]

5x + 105 > 16 [use distributive property]

5x > - 89 [by subtracting 105 from both sides of the inequality]

x > -17.8 [by dividing both sides by -5]

Answer 2

The inequality reads 5(x+21) greater than 16. This can be solved by dividing both sides by 5 and then subtracting 21 from both sides of the inequality.