Certainly! Let's break down the phrase "5 less than the square of a number" into an algebraic expression, step-by-step:
1. Identify "a number": The phrase refers to "a number" which we will represent using the variable [tex]\( x \)[/tex].
2. Square of a number: The square of a number [tex]\( x \)[/tex] is represented algebraically as [tex]\( x^2 \)[/tex].
3. 5 less than the square of a number: Now, we need to subtract 5 from the square of [tex]\( x \)[/tex]. This can be written as:
[tex]\[
x^2 - 5
\][/tex]
Thus, the algebraic expression that represents "5 less than the square of a number" is:
[tex]\[
x^2 - 5
\][/tex]
