Given the way the problem is written in your worksheet (attachment):
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"n x 3 +1 " ; you would write:
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"nine times three plus 1" as:
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(n*3) + 1 ; (Using the order of operations: BE MD AS; which stands for:
"Be excused, my dear Aunt Sally";
or other variant phrase);
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Using this "order of operations" rules; we know that "multiplication" comes BEFORE "addition"; as such:
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Given: "n * 3 + 1"; we can write:
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(n*3) + 1 ; with the parentheses as an emphasis that this "multiplication" component comes first.
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By convention, when a variable has a coefficient other than "1", we usually write the term with the coefficient coming before the variable.
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So, we can rewrite:
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(n*3) + 1 ; as:
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(3*n) + 1 .
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By convention; if we have a coefficient multiplied by a variable (symbolized with an "alphabet letter"), we simply write that coefficent, followed by the [variable symbolized with an "alphabet letter"]. By convention, the implication is that multiplication is inherent in these circumstances.
So, "(3*n)" can be rewritten as "3n";
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And the term for the "pattern" (which is not an 'equation'); is:
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3n + 1