Question

In a kitchen there are three containers that can hold different quantities of water, as shown in the figure below:

Three containers of the same shape but different sizes are shown, starting with the shortest and ending with the longest. The following quantities are written below the containers. x minus 10 liters below the first, x minus 5 liters below the second, and x liters below the third.

How many liters of water can the three containers hold in all?

x − 15
3x − 15
x3 + 50
3x3 − 15

Answer 1

3x-15

Explanation:

(x-10)+(x-5)+(x)=3x-15

Answer 2

3x - 15

Simply add the different container sizes together. The first container holds x - 10 liters, the second holds x - 5 liters, and the third holds x liters.

(x - 10) + (x - 5) + x

Because of the associative property of Addition, we can remove the parentheses.

x - 10 + x - 5 + x

Because of the communicative property of addition, we can reorder the terms so that the like terms are next to each other.

x + x + x - 10 - 5

Now, combine the x’s.

3x - 10 - 5

Finally, subtract -10 minus - 5.

3x - 15