How do you write an algebraic expression for the phrase "a number minus the cube of 4"?

1 Answer
Jan 18, 2017

If #n# is "a number", then it's #n - 4^3#.

Explanation:

No real explanation here, just the fact that referring, arbitrarily, to "a number" signals the usage of a variable, that is represented by a letter. "minus the cube of four" can be interpreted as either #-4^3# or #-64#, although since we need our algebraic interpretation to be as close as possible to the description, it's more accurate to write #-4^3#.