How do you translate b23c3 into a verbal expression?

2 Answers
Jul 26, 2015

b23c3 means "The difference between b squared and three c cubed."

Jul 28, 2015

"The square of b minus three times the cube of c"

(that makes it clear that it is 3c3, not (3c)3)

If it was this, for example:

b2(3c)3

it would be:

"The square of b minus the cube of the quantity three times c"

Furthermore, if one were to say:

"The square of b minus three times c, quantity cubed"

it could be confused as:

(b23c)3

or

b2(3c)3

(which quantity was cubed? 3c or the whole thing?)