Questions: Write the statement in symbols. 5 times the difference of a number and 4 is 8. Choose the correct answer below. A. 5(x-4)=8 B. 5 x-4= C. 5 x-8=4 D. 5=8(x-4)

Solution Steps

To translate the statement into a mathematical equation, identify the key components: "5 times" suggests multiplication by 5, "the difference of a number and 4" indicates subtracting 4 from a variable (let's use \( x \)), and "is 8" means the result equals 8. Combine these elements to form the equation.

The statement "5 times the difference of a number and 4 is 8" can be expressed mathematically. Let \( x \) represent the unknown number. The difference of the number and 4 is \( x - 4 \). Therefore, "5 times the difference" translates to \( 5(x - 4) \). The phrase "is 8" indicates that this expression equals 8, leading to the equation: \[ 5(x - 4) = 8 \]

We need to match our derived equation with the provided options:

• A. \( 5(x - 4) = 8 \)
• B. \( 5x - 4 = \)
• C. \( 5x - 8 = 4 \)
• D. \( 5 = 8(x - 4) \)

The equation \( 5(x - 4) = 8 \) corresponds to option A.

Final Answer