Question

How would you write the english phrase for the algebraic expression `3w-16`?

Answer 1

I would take 3w - 16 and reverse the order by stating "sixteen less than three times a number."

3w is "3 times a number"
-16 is "sixteen less than"

You could also write is as, "the difference between three times a number and 16."

The word difference means to subtract .