assume or specify or choose
All of those words would fit.
All of those words would fit.
1. Identify the variable in the expression: Look for the letter or symbol that represents the unknown quantity. For example, if the expression is "3x + 2", the variable is "x".
2. Choose a value to substitute for the variable: You can use any value you want, as long as it is consistent with the problem. In many cases, you will be given specific values to substitute, but if not, you can choose any number that makes sense in the given context.
3. Replace the variable with the chosen value: Substitute the chosen value into the expression instead of the variable. Using the previous example, if you choose the value "4" for "x", the expression becomes "3(4) + 2".
4. Perform the calculations: Follow the order of operations to calculate the expression. Multiply first, then add or subtract. In our example, you would multiply 3 by 4, getting 12, and then add 2, resulting in a final value of 14.
5. Repeat if necessary: If you need to evaluate the expression for multiple values of the variable, simply repeat steps 2-4 with different values each time.
By following these steps, you can evaluate a variable expression by substituting values for the variable and calculating the results.