Question

How do you translate "8 times a number, x, decreased by y" into a algebraic expression?

Answer 1

`8*x-y`

Explanation:

Let me divide the dialogue in two parts
`(i)` 8 times a number x.
`(ii)`decreased by y.

`(i)`
"8 times" means "8 multiplies by", "a number x" means "the number with which 8 is being multiplied is x".

Therefore, "8 times a number x" means "8 multiplied by x"
`8*x`

(ii)
"decreased" means "minus", "by y" means "y"
Therefore, "decreased by y" means "`-y`"

Therefore, the whole sentence represents `8*x-y`.