How do you write the expression: Half of a number decreased by 7 is at least 5?

1 Answer
Alan P.
Jan 18, 2017

#n/2-7 >= 5color(white)("XXX")orcolor(white)("XXX")(n-7)/2 >= 5#
...depending upon how you interpret the ambiguous statement.

Explanation:

For both interpretations (below) we will let the "number" be represented by the variable #n#.

Interpretation 1
#color(red)("Half of a number") color(blue)(" decreased by 7")color(green)(" is at least 5")#

#color(red)(n/2)color(blue)(-7)color(green)(>=5)#

Interpretation 2
#color(red)("Half of ")color(blue)("a number decreased by 7 ")color(green)("is at least 5")#

#color(red)(1/2 * color(blue)(""(n-7))color(green)(>=5)# or #color(blue)(n-7)/color(red)2color(green)(>=5)#

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