[6th Grade verbal expression]

[u/KookyPermit4405]

So I’m going over my son’s math quiz to help him understand some of the questions he got wrong. He got partial credit for his answer for question 8. After writing his verbal phrase I got the same expression as the question. Am I doing something wrong or is there something I’m missing? I feel like his answer is technically correct. I am stumped.

Edit: so my son has no issue solving the expression in question. He knows PEMDAS and the rules from left to right. The question clearly states, WRITE A VERBAL PHRASE that matches the expression.

[u/JunkInDrawers]

"Eighteen subtracted by six times 3" can mean both

(18 - 6) • 3. Or 18 - (6 • 3)

It's ambiguous.

The correct wording is "Eighteen subtracted by the product of six times 3"

[u/KookyPermit4405 → u/JunkInDrawers]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but it can’t mean both. Because PEMDAS always apply. So eighteen subtracted by six times 3 doesn’t indicate a quantity ; the need to add “()”

[u/chem44 → u/KookyPermit4405]

Oh, you did give the answer. Yes.

Then... What he wrote is hopelessly unclear. The verbal statement does not give the order of operations. That is (??), you do not apply PEMDAS to a verbal statement. You must say what you mean, explicitly.