Download Alternative expressions used to describe the four

STRAND: Algebra
TOPIC:
Algebraic rules & expressions
Alternative expressions used
to describe the four operations
The four operations can be described using different words or expressions. The table below shows the most common ways of
specifying the operation needed.
Operation
symbol
Words/expressions used
to describe the operation
Example
Mathematical
sentence
Plus
Add (or ‘added to’)
The sum of
Increase (or ‘increased by’)
More than
5 plus 3
5 is added to 3
The sum of 5 and 3
Increase 5 by 3
5 more than 3
Minus
Subtract (or ‘subtracted from’)
Take away (or ‘taken away from’)
The difference between
Less than
Decrease (or ‘decreased by’)
7 minus 2
Subtract 2 from 7
2 is taken away from 7
The difference between 7 and 2
2 less than 7
Decrease 7 by 2
×
Multiply (or ‘multiplied by’)
The product of
… times more than
Multiply 3 by 4
The product of 3 and 4
4 times more than 3
3×4
÷
Divide (or ‘divided by’)
Share
Quotient
Divide 8 by 2
Share 8 between 2
The quotient of 8 and 2
8÷2
+
−
5+3
7−2
WORKED Example
Write each of the following as a mathematical sentence.
a The sum of 4 and 5
b 12 is divided by 4
THINK
WRITE
a The expression ‘sum of’ means ‘+’, so write a mathematical sentence
by joining given numbers with the + sign.
a 4+5
b The expression ‘divided by’ means ‘÷’. The number which is to be
divided is written first and the number by which we need to divide is
written second.
b 12 ÷ 4
Try these
Write each of the following as a mathematical sentence.
1 The sum of 3 and 5
2
3 4 is added to 7
4
5 5 increased by 2
6
7 4 subtracted from 9
8
9 The product of 2 and 7
10
11 9 more than 8
12
13 7 times more than 6
14
5 less than 8
3 taken away from 12
4 is multiplied by 5
The difference between 5 and 1
The quotient of 9 and 3
12 decreased by 5
10 divided by 5
 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd 2001