Question

Alejandro and Amir applied to the same university. They looked up the average SAT score of students admitted to that university. Alejandro’s SAT score was 60 points above the average score. Amir’s SAT score was 230 points below the average score. Which expression represents the difference in their scores?

Answer 1

Let \( x \) represent the average SAT score of the students admitted to the university.

According to the information provided:

• Alejandro's SAT score can be expressed as \( x + 60 \).
• Amir's SAT score can be expressed as \( x - 230 \).

To find the difference between Alejandro's and Amir's SAT scores, we subtract Amir's score from Alejandro's score:

\[ \text{Difference} = (x + 60) - (x - 230) \]

Now, simplify the expression:

\[ \text{Difference} = (x + 60) - x + 230 \]

This simplifies to:

\[ \text{Difference} = 60 + 230 = 290 \]

So, the expression that represents the difference in their scores is \( 290 \).