Question

Consider the verbal phrase: the difference of 7 and a number \(\boldsymbol{n}\). Translate the verbal phrase into an algebraic expression.

Short answer

The algebraic expression for 'the difference of 7 and a number n' is \(7 - n\).

Step-by-step solution

Identify the Operation

The word 'difference' means that you are subtracting one thing from another. So, you are dealing with a subtraction operation in this exercise.

Identify the Numbers

In the phrase 'the difference of 7 and a number n', 7 and n are the numbers being considered.

Identify the Order of Subtraction

In the English language, the number that comes after 'the difference of' is the one that is being subtracted from, not the one being subtracted. Thus, it is 'n' that is being subtracted from '7'.

Translate into an Algebraic Expression

Now that you know the operation is subtraction and that 'n' is subtracted from '7', you can write the algebraic expression, which is \(7 - n\).