What do the three red tiles in the model of the equation below represent?

2 long x tiles and 3 square 1 tiles = 3 negative x tiles
–3
3
–3x
3x

1 answer

The model you're describing seems to use colored tiles to represent different values in an algebraic equation involving the variable \(x\). In many algebra tile models:

  • Red tiles typically represent negative quantities.
  • Long tiles usually represent a variable (e.g., \(x\)).
  • Square tiles usually represent constant values (e.g., 1).

Given this information, in the equation:

  • 2 long \(x\) tiles represent \(+2x\).
  • 3 square 1 tiles represent \(+3\).
  • 3 negative \(x\) tiles represent \(-3x\).

The "three red tiles" in this context represent the negative quantity. Specifically, they represent \(-3\) (since they are square tiles, each representing \(-1\)), contributing to the total negative value in the equation.

So, to summarize:

  • The three red tiles represent \(-3\), indicating a negative constant added to the model.