document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1182872>Question 1182872</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> The difference between 8 times and number of 5 </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #812993 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><B>greenestamps(13200)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=greenestamps><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=812993\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "I will assume the statement is supposed to be \"the difference between 8 times a number and 5\",<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "The important part of this problem is to note the formal mathematical definition of \"difference\".<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "In everyday English, the difference between 5 and 10 is 5, and the difference between 10 and 5 is 5.  That's because the usage does not distinguish between the larger and smaller number; the \"difference\" is taken to be a positive number.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "That can't be the case in formal mathematics.  In mathematical language, the \"difference between A and B\" is A-B.  So in mathematical language, the difference between 5 and 10 is 5-10 = -5, while the difference between 10 and 5 is 10-5=5.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "So your (corrected) statement is the difference between 8n and 5, which is<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "ANSWER: 8n-5<br><BR>\n" );
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