WRITING ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS: PART 1

Write each statement as an algebraic expression.

1. 18 decreased by 6
2. 17 more than 16
3; 13 increased by 5
4. 11 decreased by 23
5. —15 increased by 20
6. 6 less than x
!

7. 9 more than y
8. z increased by 11
9. the sum of r and s
10. the product of 7 and y
1 1 . 2 more than 5 times k
12. 16 less than twice h
13. 8 times p, increased by 2
14. 2 decreased by twice c
15. 17 increased by 4 times d
16. 3 times n, increased by 6
17. r increased by s
18. n decreased by m
19. twice x, decreased by r
20. k less than t
21. 5 less than 8 times a number
22. x more than 7 times y
23. 2 times x increased by 5 times y
24. 18 less than half a number
25. z more than twice y, decreased by 10
26. 7 less than twice y, decreased by z
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 CHANGING VERBAL EXPRESSIONS TO ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS
Write a mathematical expression for each verbal expression by letting n
represent the 'number* referred to in each problem.
1. A number increased by 12
2. A number decreased by 18
3. The square of a number
4. A number cubed
5. Eight times a number
6. Two-thirds of a number
7. The square root of a number
8. A number multiplied by eight
9. A number divided by three
10. Two more than the square of a number
11. Three times a number, decreased by ten
12. The product of three and the square of a number
13. One-half the square of a number
14. A number added to its square
15. A number subtracted from its cube
16. Three more than double a number
17. Five more than a number multiplied by ten
18. A number increased by itself
19. A number decreased by one-half itself
20. Eighteen more than half a number
21. A number multiplied by itself
22. Fifteen times a number, decreased by eight
23. Sixteen multiplied by a number
24. The square of one-half a number
25. One-third of the cube of a number
26. The product of a number and seven
27. A number decreased by two-thirds of itself
28. A number increased by one-:ha!f of Itself
 4-1 Translating Verbal Phrases Into Algebraic Language 91

EXERCISES

In 1-28, use mathematical symbols to translate the verbal phrases into algebraic language.

1. y plus 8 2. 8 plus j
3. /' minus 4 4. 4 minus /•
5. 7 times x 6. JT times 7
7. x divided by 10 8. 10 divided by x
9. the product of 6 and d 10. c decreased by 6
11. 15 added to b 12. one-tenth of w
13. the sum of b and 8 14. ;t diminished by y
15. the product of x and y 16. the quotient of s and t
17. 12 increased by a 18. 5 less than d
19. 8 divided by y 20. j multiplied by 10
21. the product of 2c and 3d 22. t more than w
23. one-third of z 24. twice the difference of p and
25. a number that exceeds m by 4 26. one-half of the sum of L and
27. 5 times x, increased by 2 28. 10 decreased by twice a

In 29-39, using the letter « to represent 'a number," write each verbal phrase in algebraic
language.

29. a number increased by 2 30. 20 more than a number

31. 8 increased by a number 32. a number decreased by 6
33. 2 less than a number 34. 3 times a number
35. three-fourths of a number 36. 4 times a number, increased by 3
37. 3 less than twice a number 38. 1.0 times a number, decreased by 2
39. the product of 5 more than a number, and 4

In 40-45, translate each verbal phrase into algebraic language, representing the two numbers by
L and W, with L being the larger.

40. the sum of the two numbers 41. the product of the two numbers
42. the larger number decreased by the smaller number
43. the smaller number divided by the larger number
44. the sum of twice the larger number and twice the smaller number
45. 10 times the smaller number, decreased by 6 times the larger number

46. Let L and W in Exercises 40-45 be natural numbers with L > W. Which of Exercises 40-45
illustrate algebraic expressions that:
a. must be natural numbers? b. must be integers?
c. must be positive numbers? d. must be rational numbers?
 4-2 Using Letters to Represent Variables 93

EXERCISES WITH OPEN-RESPONSE PROBLEMS

In 1-18, represent each answer in algebraic language, using the variable mentioned in the
problem.
1. The number of kilometers traveled by a bus is represented by x. If a train traveled 200
kilometers farther than the bus, represent the number of kilometers traveled by the train.
2. Mr. Gold invested $1,000 in stocks. If he lost d dollars when he sold the stocks, represent the
amount he received for them.
3. The cost of a mountain bike is 5 times the cost of a skateboard. If the skateboard costs x
dollars, represent the cost of the mountain bike.
4. The length of a rectangle is represented by €. If the width of the rectangle is one-half of its
length, represent its width.
5. After 12 centimeters had been cut from a piece of lumber, c centimeters were left. Represent
the length of the original piece of lumber.
6. Paul and Martha saved 100 dollars. If the amount saved by Paul is represented by x, represent
the amount saved by Martha.
7. The sum of two numbers is s. If one number is represented by x, represent the other number in
terms of 5 and x.
8. A suit costs $150. Represent the cost of n suits.
9. A ballpoint pen sells for 39 cents. Represent the cost of x pens.
10. Represent the cost of t feet of lumber that sells for g cents a foot.
11. If Hilda weighed 45 kilograms, represent her weight after she had lost x kilograms.
12. Ronald, who weighs c pounds, is d pounds overweight. Represent the number of pounds
Ronald should weigh.
13. A woman spent $250 for jeans and a ski jacket. If she spent y dollars for the ski jacket,
represent the amount she spent for the jeans.
14. A man bought an article for c dollars and sold it at a profit of $25. Represent the amount for
which he sold it.
15. The width of a rectangle is represented by w meters. Represent the length of the rectangle if it
exceeds the width by 8 meters.
16. The width of a rectangle is x centimeters. Represent the length of the rectangle if it exceeds
twice the width by 3 centimeters.
17. If a plane travels 550 kilometers per hour, represent the distance it will travel in h hours.
18. If an automobile traveled for 5 hours at an average rate of r kilometers per hour, represent the
distance it traveled.
19. Represent algebraically the number of:
a. centimeters in m meters b. meters in i centimeters
c. days in w weeks d. weeks in d days
e. hours in d days f. days in h hours
g. feet in c inches h. grams in k kilograms
20. Represent the total number of days in w weeks and d days.
 WRITING ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS: PART 2
Write an algebraic expression for each of the following questions.
1. Ralph Kramden is 32 years old. How old will he be in n years?
2. Patricia was n years old 10 years ago. How old is she now?
3. The sum of two numbers is 15. The larger number is x. What is the
smaller number? ,
4. Howard Borden has eighi more cars than he has trucks. If he has n
cars, how many trucks does he have?
5. Karen Krause has 3 times as many dimes as nickels. If she has n
dimes, how many nickels does she have?
6. Zeb Fisher has 10 pigeons, n doves, and twice as many chickens as
doves. How jnany birds jioes he have altogether?
7. In this year's election, 534 more people voted than in last year's
flection. If x people voted this year, how many people voted last year?
8. The cost of gasoline tripled in the past 12 years. If gasoline cost n
dollars and r cents per gallon 12 years ago, how much does it cost now?
9. The sum of Merlin's age and Mabel's age is 84. If Merlin was n
years old 10 years ago, how old is Mabel now?
10. Stefanie is paid $2.30 per hour. How much would she earn by
working n eight-hour days?
11. Ross has twice as many cows as he has horses. If he has c cows,
how many horses does he have?
12. Pearl has 10 more pigs on her farm than the sum of her cows and
sheep. If she has c cows and s sheep, how many pigs does she have?
||13. The base of a rectangle is three times its height. If its height is n,
lot is its perimeter?
The height of a triangle is half the length of its base. If its height is
fwhat is its area?
 PROBLEM SOLVING WITH EQUATIONS: PART 1 '
i

Write on equation for each problem, then find the answer to the
question.

1. The sum of two numbers is 84. The smaller number, n, is 18. What
is the larger number, m?

2. A number n subtracted from 93 results in a difference of 3>f. What

number is n? ,»

3. The perimeter of a right triangle is 83 cm. If the sum of the two legs
of the triangle is 47 cm, how long is the hypotenuse?

4. Ten more than half the number y is 54. What number is

5. The area of a rectangle is 180 square inches and the height is 15

inches. What is the base, b, of the rectangle?

6. Drew Doyle bought a coat that was marked down 40%. The
original price of the coat was $89.50. How much did Drew pay for the
coat?

7. Mark Spitz was searching for treasure on a sunken boat at a depth

of 83 meters. A sonar reading that his friend took on the surface
indicated that a shark was swimming directly above Mark at a depth of
29 meters. What was the distance, d, from the shark to Mark?

8. Last January, Barbara Butane's natural gas bill was triple her
electric bill. Her electric bill, e, was $38.95. How much was her gas bill,
g?
9. Twelve increased by half a number, n, is 84. What is the number n?

10. A cattle rancher lost 8% of his 375 steers during a blizzard. How
many steers did he lose?
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 PROBLEM SOLVING WITH EQUATIONS: PART 2
Write an equation for each problem, then solve the problem.

1. The sum of two numbers is 24. One of the numbers is twice the
other. Find the two numbers.

2. Billy Hudson sold half as many used cars in February as he sold in

March. If he sold 12 used cars in these two months, how many cars did
he sell in March? '

3. A chicken farmer lost one-third as many chickens to coyote attacks

as he did to diseases. If he lost a total of 80 chickens, how many chickens
were killed by coyotes?

4. Half of a number is 10 less than triple the number. What is the

number?

5. Half of a number is 10 more than triple the number. What is the

number?

6. The perimeter of a square is the same number as its area. What is

the length of a side of the square?

7. The longer side of a rectangular field is 80 meters longer than the

shorter side. What is the length of the shorter side if the perimeter is 580
meters?

8. An equilateral triangle has the same perimeter as a square whose

base is 30 cm. What is the length of each side of the triangle?

9. Vita has 3 times as many dimes as quarters. The dollar amount of

her dimes and quarters is $6.05. How many quarters does she have?

10. Sam Lichinsky has 4 times more dimes than quarters in his coin
collection. He has 65 half dollars. The face value of his half dollars is half
tbo face value of the dimes and quarters combined. How many dimes
he have? How many quarters does he have?
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