How To: Translate a sentence into math symbols

How to Translate a sentence into math symbols

We will be translating the sentence "twice y differs from 5 by more than two, "into a mathematical equation. The word twice generally means two times, so 2*y (because y comes next in the sentence). Differs normally means is different and a difference from something in a mathematical sentence means subtraction most of the time, thus minus five. We don't know if we're talking about below 5 or above 5 on the number line, so we put absolute value around the equation. More than implies a greater than symbol. The sentence does not say and is more than or equal to, so we don't put a line underneath the greater than sign. Then the two comes after this part of the equation. The mathematical equation ends up being |2y-5|>2.