How do you translate b^2-3c^3 into a verbal expression?

2 Answers
Jul 26, 2015

b^2-3c^3 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 3 * c^3, not (3c)^3)

If it was this, for example:

b^2 - (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:

(b^2 - 3c)^3

or

b^2 - (3c)^3

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