Question

Write a mathematical expression for the phrase "the quantity x minus y squared."

a) (x - y)^2
b) x^2 - y^2
c) x - y^2
d) x^2 - y

Answer 1

The mathematical expression for the phrase "the quantity x minus y squared" is (x - y)^2, which is represented by option a.

Step-by-step explanation:

The phrase "the quantity x minus y squared" translates to a mathematical expression where x minus y is treated as a single quantity and then squared. Following the order of operations, we first perform the subtraction within the parentheses, and then square the result. The correct mathematical expression that represents this phrase is (x - y)^2, which corresponds to option a) (x - y)^2.