Which operations are used in the expression 2x - 4? Choose ALL that apply. Which statement describes the expression 2x - 4?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking to identify the operations used in the algebraic expression 2x - 4 and to find a statement that accurately describes this expression. It involves basic operations in algebra, specifically multiplication and subtraction.
Answer
The operation used is multiplication and subtraction; the correct description is "4 minus the product of 2 and a number."
Answer for screen readers
The operations used are multiplication and subtraction.
The correct statement is: 4 minus the product of 2 and a number.
Steps to Solve
- Identify the Operations The expression $2x - 4$ consists of two main operations: multiplication and subtraction.
- The term $2x$ involves multiplication (2 times a variable $x$).
- The term $-4$ signifies a subtraction (subtracting 4 from the result of $2x$).
- Analyze Descriptive Statements We need to evaluate the provided statements to find out which one accurately describes the expression $2x - 4$.
- "2 less than 4 times a number" translates to $4y - 2$, not matching our expression.
- "2 minus the product of 4 and a number" translates to $2 - 4y$, which does not match either.
- "4 less than twice a number" can be written as $2y - 4$, which is also not our expression.
- "4 minus the product of 2 and a number" translates to $4 - 2y$, which doesn't match.
- Finding Correct Description The expression $2x - 4$ is correctly described as "4 minus the product of 2 and a number" when rearranged, as this suggests starting from 4 and then removing $2$ times a number.
The operations used are multiplication and subtraction.
The correct statement is: 4 minus the product of 2 and a number.
More Information
In this context, the expression $2x - 4$ incorporates both multiplication of a variable $x$ and a constant, followed by subtraction. It’s essential to interpret such expressions accurately to connect them to their verbal descriptions.
Tips
- Misidentifying operations: Some may confuse the multiplication in $2x$ with addition or overlook subtraction altogether.
- Failing to translate statements correctly: It’s important to carefully analyze each option to ensure it matches the algebraic expression.
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