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Solving a Number Problem Using "Difference"
Apply the seven-step problem-solving strategy to a number problem involving a single subtraction operation.
Problem: The difference of a number and six is . Find the number.
- Read the problem and confirm all words are familiar.
- Identify what to find: the number.
- Name the unknown: Let = the number.
- Translate using the keyword difference, which signals subtraction. Restate the problem as a single sentence — "The difference of the number and is " — and convert it to the equation:
- Solve by adding to both sides (Addition Property of Equality):
- Check: The difference of and is .
- Answer: The number is .
This example demonstrates a one-step number problem: the word "difference" maps directly to subtraction, and the resulting equation requires only one inverse operation (adding ) to isolate the variable.
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Learn After
A logistics coordinator is using a standard problem-solving strategy to model a shipping delay. The report states: 'The difference of the scheduled delivery time and the actual delivery time is 4 hours.' Which mathematical operation is signaled by the keyword 'difference' when translating this statement into an equation?
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