- The phrase "quotient" signifies division.
- Assign the variable \(w\) to represent "a number".
- Divide the number \(w\) by 6, resulting in \(\frac{w}{6}\).
- The correct algebraic expression is \(\boxed{\frac{w}{6}}\).
Explanation
- Analyzing the Verbal Phrase
The objective is to translate the verbal phrase "the quotient of a number and six" into an algebraic expression. In mathematics, a "quotient" refers to the result of a division operation. When we speak of the "quotient of a and b", it means that we are dividing a by b. In this problem, "a number" is represented by the variable \(w\), and "six" is the divisor.
- Formulating the Expression
To translate the phrase "the quotient of a number and six" into an algebraic expression, we identify the key components:
- "A number" is represented by the variable \(w\).
- "Quotient" indicates the operation of division.
- "And six" indicates that \(w\) is being divided by 6.
Combining these, we write the division of \(w\) by 6 as \(\frac{w}{6}\).
- Selecting the Correct Option
Comparing our derived expression \(\frac{w}{6}\) with the given options:
- \(6 + w\) (represents "six plus a number")
- \(6w\) (represents "six times a number")
- \(6 - w\) (represents "six minus a number")
- \(\frac{w}{6}\) (represents "the quotient of a number and six")
The correct expression is \(\frac{w}{6}\).
Examples
Algebraic expressions are used in everyday life to model relationships between quantities. For instance, if you are planning to share a bag of \(w\) cookies equally among 6 friends, the number of cookies each friend receives is represented by the expression \(\frac{w}{6}\). By using algebra, we can easily calculate how many cookies each person gets regardless of the initial total in the bag!