Which expression is equivalent to the given equation?
55−7=
To solve the problem of finding an equivalent expression for 55−7, we will rewrite 7 as a sum of two numbers and then translate that into a two-step subtraction:
- Step 1: Decompose 7 as a sum of two numbers. For instance, 7 can be written as 5+2. That means 7=5+2.
- Step 2: Rewrite the original expression 55−7 using this decomposition:
55−7=55−(5+2).
- Step 3: Apply sequential subtraction, which translates to:
55−5−2.
- Step 4: Verify: We perform the subtraction operations:
- 55−5=50
- 50−2=48
The expression 55−5−2 evaluates to the same result as 55−7, which is 48. The solution indicated that this is the correct choice as shown in the answer choices.
Therefore, the equivalent expression to the equation 55−7 is 55−5−2.