How do you express the phrase "Twelve less a number is 40" as an algebraic expression?

1 Answer
Sep 11, 2015

#12-n=40#

Explanation:

Pick a variable to represent "a number" (I used #n#)

Twelve less a number is #40#
becomes
Twelve less #n# is #40#
#color(white)("XXXXXXXX")#replace "Twelve" with #12#
#12# less #n# is #40#
#color(white)("XXXXXXXX")#replace "less" with a minus sign
#12 - n# is #40#
#color(white)("XXXXXXXX")#replace "is" with an equal sign
#12-n=40#