Subtraction is not commutative and neither is division. When you see words that mean to subtract or divide, like “take away,” “less than” or “split into,” read carefully. Think about which term or value is being taken away or split up. “Four divided by 3 times a number” is 4/(3n). This is not the same as (3n)/4. “Four less than 3 times a number” is 3n - 4, not 4 - 3n.
Which of these expressions correctly represents the phrase “17 less than three times a number”?
A
17 - 3n
B
3n - 17
C
17/(3n)
D
3n/(17)
The correct expression that represents the phrase "17 less than three times a number" is:
B) 3n - 17