How do you translate "18 more than a number" into a mathematical expression?

1 Answer
Feb 22, 2016

#n+18#

Explanation:

#color(red)("Let "n" represent the unknown number.")#

So in this instance, whenever we come across the wording "a number", we can and may use the letter #n#.

This is because we may assign to #n# any value we so wish

The question uses the word 'expression'. This means that there is not an equals sign in what we write.

I use the symbol ? to indicate that something should be in that place. We just do not know what is yet. It will show up later.

Breaking the question down into its component parts:

18 more than:#->?+18#
a number:#->n+18#

So we start with some unknown value and put a further 18 with it. So it becomes more.

Hope this helps