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You can put this solution on YOUR website!
\n" ); document.write( "This is actually a bad example, because it is open to (at least) two different interpretations.
\n" ); document.write( "In the statement there are three things:
\n" ); document.write( "(1) numbers or expressions
\n" ); document.write( "(2) mathematical operations
\n" ); document.write( "(3) an equals sign
\n" ); document.write( "The task is to break the sentence down into those three kinds of things.
\n" ); document.write( "If read or spoken normally, this sentence breaks down into
\n" ); document.write( "(20) (subtracted from) (7 times a number) (is) (6)
\n" ); document.write( "So if y is the number, 7 times the number is 7y; and 20 SUBTRACTED FROM 7y means you start with the 7y and subtract 20: 7y-20.
\n" ); document.write( "The \"is\" is clearly the equals sign, so the mathematical equation is 7y-20 = 6.
\n" ); document.write( "However, this sentence is open to another very different, although far less likely, interpretation.
\n" ); document.write( "In written form, you could add commas to change the meaning:
\n" ); document.write( "\"20, subtracted from 7, times a number, is 6\"
\n" ); document.write( "In spoken form, you could accomplish the same thing using pauses in the reading:
\n" ); document.write( "\"20 [pause] subtracted from 7 [pause] times a number [pause] is 6\".
\n" ); document.write( "In that interpretation, 20 is subtracted from 7; the result is multiplied by the number, and the final result is 6.
\n" ); document.write( "Breaking the sentence into the three things as before, this gives us
\n" ); document.write( "(20) (subtracted from) (7) (times) (a number) (is) (6):
\n" ); document.write( "(7-20)*y = 6
\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "