ACT Preparation / Unit 9 ACT 0807 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Translating Words Into Equations
Captions available
The idea
To write an equation from words, name the unknown with a variable, then translate phrase by phrase: is means equals, of often means times, and less than reverses the order.
In practice
"Five less than twice a number is 17" is 2n − 5 = 17.
Where people slip
"Five less than twice a number" is 2n − 5, not 5 − 2n.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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