Word Problems
Translating Verbal Expressions into
Algebraic Expression

Verbal Expression	Algebraic Expression
The sum of two numbers x and y	x + y
The difference of two numbers x and y	x-y
The product of two numbers x and y	x y or x * y
The quotient of two numbers x and y	x / y
8 more than x	8 + x
Twice the sum of x and 4	2 (x + 4)
The sum of twice x and 9	2x + 9
3 more than six times the number y	3 + 6y
15 less than four times the number y	4y-15
The sum of two consecutive integers	n (n + 1)
x exceeds y by 5	x-y = 5 or x = y + 5 or x-5 = y
The number of millimeters in x meters	1000 x
The number of inches in y yards	36 y
6 % of a number x	6% x or 0.06 x

Please e-mail your comments or suggestions to Heide Mansouri at heide.mansouri@ttu.edu