Forming Expressions Textbook Exercise - Corbettmaths - Free Printable

Let's solve each part of the problem step by step. We are asked to write algebraic expressions for given phrases.

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✔ Question 1: Write an algebraic expression for each of the following

We'll go through each one:

(a) 4 more than c
"More than" means addition.
→ $ c + 4 $

(b) 2 lots of a
"lots of" means multiplication.
→ $ 2a $

(c) 3 less than b
"Less than" means subtraction, but note the order: *3 less than b* = $ b - 3 $
→ $ b - 3 $

(d) m divided by 5
Division → $ \frac{m}{5} $

(e) 7 multiplied by s
Multiplication → $ 7s $

(f) w subtract 1
Subtract 1 from w → $ w - 1 $

(g) e squared
Squared means raised to the power of 2 → $ e^2 $

(h) y add 9
Addition → $ y + 9 $

(i) m shared between 3
"Shared between" means division → $ \frac{m}{3} $

(j) 10 times x
Times means multiplication → $ 10x $

(k) k less than 8
"Less than" again — this means $ 8 - k $ (not $ k - 8 $)
→ $ 8 - k $

(l) 12 less than g
Same logic: $ g - 12 $

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✔ Question 2: Write an algebraic expression for each of the following

(a) c add p
Addition → $ c + p $

(b) f minus m
Subtraction → $ f - m $

(c) a times b
Multiplication → $ ab $ or $ a \times b $

(d) p divided by z
Division → $ \frac{p}{z} $

(e) b taken away from u
"Taken away from" means $ u - b $

(f) k add n add r
Add all three → $ k + n + r $

(g) w less than c
"Less than" → $ c - w $

(h) l multiplied by m
Multiplication → $ lm $ or $ l \times m $

(i) y multiplied by m multiplied by a
All multiplied together → $ yma $ or $ y \times m \times a $

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✔ Question 3: Write an algebraic expression for each of the following

(a) m multiplied by 2 and then add 3
First multiply: $ 2m $, then add 3 → $ 2m + 3 $

(b) h divided by 4 and then add 7
First divide: $ \frac{h}{4} $, then add 7 → $ \frac{h}{4} + 7 $

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✔ Final Answers:

#### Question 1:
(a) $ c + 4 $
(b) $ 2a $
(c) $ b - 3 $
(d) $ \frac{m}{5} $
(e) $ 7s $
(f) $ w - 1 $
(g) $ e^2 $
(h) $ y + 9 $
(i) $ \frac{m}{3} $
(j) $ 10x $
(k) $ 8 - k $
(l) $ g - 12 $

#### Question 2:
(a) $ c + p $
(b) $ f - m $
(c) $ ab $
(d) $ \frac{p}{z} $
(e) $ u - b $
(f) $ k + n + r $
(g) $ c - w $
(h) $ lm $
(i) $ yma $

#### Question 3:
(a) $ 2m + 3 $
(b) $ \frac{h}{4} + 7 $

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🔍 Key Tips:

- "More than", "add", "plus" → Addition
- "Less than", "taken away from", "subtract" → Subtraction (watch the order!)
- "Times", "multiplied by", "lots of" → Multiplication
- "Divided by", "shared between" → Division
- "Squared" → Exponent: $ x^2 $
- Order matters in subtraction and division!

Let me know if you'd like these explained in a video format or with visual examples!