four less than the sum of a number,x, and nine is 35?? the choices are (x+9)-4=35 and 4-(x+9)=35

Question

four   less than the sum of a number,x, and nine is 35?? the choices are (x+9)-4=35 and 4-(x+9)=35

anonymous · Answer

"four less than" means you subtract 4 from that thing.  Like if you are 20 years old, someone "four less" is 20-4=16.

It looks like the first expression...

anonymous · Answer

They are seeing whether you read "four less than" and write it as "4 minus..." (that would be wrong)

anonymous · Answer

ok

anonymous · Answer

so it would be   

 4-(x+9)=35

anonymous · Answer

No no....

anonymous · Answer

That's the one that's wrong...
Correct is:   "4 less than x plus 9" --->  (x+9)-4

anonymous · Answer

Sorry to confuse you...

anonymous · Answer

I was just saying that the point of the question is to see if you make the common error of putting the terms backward... when you read "four less than", just make sure you subtract four from the other term.