How to Turn Word Problems into Algebra Expressions

Turning word problems into algebraic expressions can seem tricky, but it's easy if you follow these steps:

1. Find the Important Information:

   • Look for numbers, amounts, and relationships.
   • For example, if you see "3 times a number," it means you need to multiply by 3.

2. Use Variables:

   • A variable is just a symbol to represent something you don’t know.
   • For example, you can use the letter (x) for the unknown number.

3. Change Words into Math:

   • Turn phrases into math operations.
   • For the phrase "The sum of a number and 5," you would write it as (x + 5).

4. Build the Expression:

   • Put all the parts together to make a full expression.
   • For example, "Three times a number increased by five" would become (3x + 5).

By using this simple method, you can solve about 80% of basic algebra word problems successfully!