How do you translate the following into algebraic expressions: x plus y squared?

1 Answer
May 31, 2018

See explanation.

Explanation:

The expression can be interpreted as 2 different algebraic expressions.

The ambiguity comes from the fact that we do not know which term is squared:

  1. If we assume that the word "squared" refers to term y only then the expression would be: x+y^2
  2. If we assume that the word "squared" refers to the whole preceeding expression "x plus y" then the algebraic expression is: (x+y)^2