Question 448046
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You aren't making sense the way you are presenting your question.  Are you trying to say "4 is less than *[tex \Large d]" or are you trying to represent a quantity that is 4 less than *[tex \Large d]?


<u>4 is less than *[tex \Large d]</u>


*[tex \LARGE \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ 4\ <\ d]


<u>*[tex \Large x] is a quantity that is 4 less than *[tex \Large d]</u>


*[tex \LARGE \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ x\ =\ d\ -\ 4]


In the first case you are simply saying that *[tex \Large d] is some number larger than 4.  It could be 4.000000000000000001 (or as close to 4 as you like without actually being 4) or it could be 40 gazillion.  You don't know, and at this point you don't care.


In the second case you are saying that there is a relationship between *[tex \Large d] and *[tex \Large x] such that whatever *[tex \Large d] happens to be *[tex \Large x] is exactly 4 less.  So if *[tex \Large d] happens to be 1 for example, then *[tex \Large x] is 4 less than that or -3.  Or if *[tex \Large d\ =\ 1,000,000] then *[tex \Large x\ =\ 999,996].  Again you don't know what *[tex \Large d] is, nor do you care.


John
*[tex \LARGE e^{i\pi} + 1 = 0]
My calculator said it, I believe it, that settles it
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