Question

Write an algebraic for the word phrase five less than a number
n-5
5-n
5+n
5n

Answer 1

The algebraic expression for the word phrase 'five less than a number' is 'n - 5', where 'n' represents the number.

Step-by-step explanation:

Algebraic Expression for a Word Phrase

To write an algebraic expression for the word phrase 'five less than a number', we denote the number with a variable, typically n. The phrase 'less than' indicates subtraction. Therefore, 'five less than a number' translates to n - 5.

It is important to note that the order matters in this expression. In the phrase 'five less than a number', the number comes first, and then five is subtracted from it. Thus, the correct algebraic expression is n - 5, not 5 - n, which would imply the number is being subtracted from five.