Final answer:
The question involves creating an algebraic expression to define the number of trees to be planted near the athletic fields, using the variable n for nurseries and t for trees. The expression is t = 3n - 10, signifying that each nursery donates 3 trees and 10 are used in the student garden.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's schoolwork question involves a scenario where nurseries donate trees to a school, and the school plants a portion of these trees in different locations. The problem defines two variables: n for the number of nurseries and t for the number of trees to be planted near the athletic fields. The principal plans to plant 10 trees in the student garden, and the rest of the donated trees will go near the athletic fields. If each nursery donates 3 trees, and the total number of trees donated by n nurseries is 3n, then we can express the number of trees near the athletic fields (t) in terms of n with the formula t = 3n - 10. This relationship is part of a typical middle school math curriculum that involves basic algebra and the understanding of mathematical relationships between variables.