Question

Which of the following choices translates the sentence “the difference of three times a number and 20 is 13”?

Answer 1

Answer: the number is 11

3 times a number becomes 3x. is becomes an = sign rhen the given amount, 13

3x - 20 = 13

Explanation:

3x - 20 =13

3x = 13 + 20

3x =33

x= 11

Answer 2

3x - 20 = 13

Explanation:

1. The word is signals the equal sign.

The difference of three times a number and 20 = 13

2. The word difference signals subtraction.

3. The phrase a number sigals that the number is unknown, so a variable should be used. In this case, I'll use x.

4. Three times that number = 3x.

The difference = subtraction.

3x-20=13