Final answer:
The correct word phrase for 5(x+2) is 'The product of 5 and the sum of a number and 2', focusing on the multiplication of 5 by the sum of the variable x and the number 2.
Step-by-step explanation:
The word phrase for 5(x+2) is 'The product of 5 and the sum of a number and 2'. This phrase encapsulates the operation being performed in the expression; namely, 5 is being multiplied by the result of adding 2 to some number x. The term 'product' refers to the result of multiplication, according to rule 5 that states when two positive numbers multiply, the answer has a positive sign, which is also applicable to 5(x+2) since 5 is a positive number and (x+2) will also be positive if x is positive. According to rule 4, in subtraction, we change the sign of the subtracted number, but this rule is not directly relevant here, as the expression involves addition within the parentheses.
The rules of multiplication and addition that are pertinent to understanding this expression are those that detail how multiplication is a repeated addition (rule 5), and that addition of positive numbers yields a positive sum (rule 1).