Question

How do you translate the words into a mathematical expression: the sum of 3 times m and 9?

Answer 1

`3\timesm+9`

Explanation:

First, start with "The sum". That gets you thinking of "`a+b`". Then, you go on with "3 times m", that's gotta be a multiplication: `3 \times m`. Then, you get to "9". Thus, you see there are 2 separate terms, "9" and "3 times m", which have to be the "`a and b`" of the original sum.
Hence, we finally have `3\timesm+9`.