Example

Translating 'Seventeen more than yy' and 'Nine less than $9x^2$'

Translate each English phrase into an algebraic expression:

(a) "Seventeen more than yy": The keyword more than signals addition and means "added to." Rewrite the phrase as "seventeen added to yy," which translates to y+17y + 17.

(b) "Nine less than $9x^2": The keyword *less than* signals subtraction and means "subtracted from." Rewrite the phrase as "nine subtracted from $9x^2," which translates to $9x^2 - 9$.

In both cases, the quantity that follows "more than" or "less than" is the starting value, and the number before the keyword is the amount being added or subtracted.

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Updated 2026-04-21

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