document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1210606>Question 1210606</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> four more than three times n equals -5<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #854331 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=KMST><B>KMST(5385)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=KMST><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=KMST><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=854331\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> As a written statement, that statement, without any commas, could lead itself to puzzlement, or misinterpretation.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "If someone makes that statement orally, I would pay attention to the pauses for clues about its meaning.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "If I detect a pause after \"more\" or after \"than\", I have heard \"four more\", or \"four more than\",<BR>\n" );
document.write( "I expect that I have to add the number 4 to whatever comes afterwards.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Then, the phrase \"three times n\" that comes afterwards seems to be an independent quantity, so I expect that I have to multiply the number 3 times the value of n, that is unknown for now.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "In that case, I could write the equation as 4+(3n)=-5, or (3n)+4=-5.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "However, due to a long ago established and universally agreed upon custom, I know I do not need to write those brackets.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "So, I would write <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=4%2B3n=-5 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"4%2B3n=-5\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > or <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=3n%2B4=-5 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"3n%2B4=-5\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to start.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Then, I would add <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to each side of the equal sign (same as subtract 4 each side of the equal sign) to get<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=4%2B3n-4=-5-4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"4%2B3n-4=-5-4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > or <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=3n%2B4-4=-5-4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"3n%2B4-4=-5-4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > .<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Then I simplify those expressions to get <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=3n=-7 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"3n=-7\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > .<BR>\n" );
document.write( "The next step would be to multiply each side of the equal side by <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=1%2F3 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"1%2F3\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > (same as dividing each side by 3) to get<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=3n%2F3=-7%2F3 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"3n%2F3=-7%2F3\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > , which simplifies to <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=highlight%28n=-7%2F3%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"highlight%28n=-7%2F3%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > .<BR>\n" );
document.write( "My Spidey-sense tells me this is what the teacher meant,<BR>\n" );
document.write( "and that the teacher would be happy with a short response like<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=3n%2B4=-5 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"3n%2B4=-5\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > --> <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=3n=-5-4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"3n=-5-4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > --> <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=3n=-7 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"3n=-7\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > --> <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=n=-7%2F3 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"n=-7%2F3\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "On the other hand, if the first pause I detect is after \"three\", I have heard the phrase \"four more than three\", which to me means to calculate the sum 3+4=7.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Then, if \"times n\" comes afterwards, I expect to multiply 7 times n.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "In that case I would write <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%284%2B3%29n=-5 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%284%2B3%29n=-5\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >--><IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=7n=-5 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"7n=-5\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >--><IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=n=-5%2F7 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"n=-5%2F7\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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