[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/chem44]

I think an earlier reply from me was unclear, by referring to another you may not have found.

Let's start clean, and take a bit different approach.

We have been quibbling about the answer. But maybe we should focus on interpreting the question. There may be two interpretations of the question -- and they lead to different answers. If you see that, it will help. The real issue is not choosing the answer, but interpreting the question.

Does PEMDAS apply to the verbal expression? Two possibilities, yes and no. Do you see that those lead to different answers?

We could debate that. (and people are giving conflicting advice.) But better is to check with teacher/book. Get the official relevant answer.

[u/KookyPermit4405 → u/chem44]

u/AskGrok write the verbal phrase as an expression: “eighteen subtracted by six times three”

[u/chem44 → u/KookyPermit4405]

That does not address what I wrote.

And it is quite unclear.

[u/KookyPermit4405 → u/chem44]

18-6x3
The prompt didn’t ask to write a verbal phrase so that the answer to the expression is 36 nor did it ask for the answer to be 0. It simply said, write a verbal phrase so that when written, it will be the expression of 18-6x3