<PRE><B>Question 1132446</B>
&lt;br&gt;
It can be confusing for beginning students to understand how to convert the written expressions into algebraic expressions.  Let&#39;s take a look at this one small piece at a time.&lt;br&gt;
&quot;seventeen less than...&quot;&lt;br&gt;
&quot;less than&quot; indicates the number is subtracted from something else:&lt;br&gt;
(unknown expression) - 17&lt;br&gt;
NOTE: That is where beginning students are most likely to make mistakes.  They read &quot;seventeen less than&quot; and know &quot;less than&quot; means subtraction, so they write the algebraic expression as &quot;17 - (unknown expression).  But clearly the phrase means that it is the 17 that is being subtracted.&lt;br&gt;
&quot;seventeen less than the quotient of...&quot;&lt;br&gt;
&quot;quotient&quot; indicates one thing divided by another):&lt;br&gt;
((unknown expression)/(another unknown expression)) - 17&lt;br&gt;
&quot;seventeen less than the quotient of a number cubed and eleven...&quot;&lt;br&gt;
&quot;a number cubed&quot; and &quot;eleven&quot; are the two things in the quotient:&lt;br&gt;
{{{x^3/11 - 17}}}</PRE>