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This is my question: “3 times a is increased by b” vs “3 times a increased by b”

As I stated in a comment to SrJoven, this question is not about how to read (or speak) a mathematical expression, it is how to interpret a phrase to a mathematical expression. However SrJoven and FumbleFingers think that this is off-topic and it should be in Mathematics.SE. What do you think?

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  • I've already expressed my reasons and haven't seen any particular indication of exactly why the question is for English Language and Usage. If Mathematics threw it back here, I'd take that as a "why" ... but then again, a math question that evaluates to a math expression seems exactly what math forums do.
    – SrJoven
    Oct 28, 2014 at 5:17
  • It sounds like a duplicate of the "ten times"question to me.
    – Kit Z. Fox Mod
    Oct 28, 2014 at 10:32
  • @KitFox: do you mean this question? This question is about definition, not grammar as mine.
    – Ooker
    Oct 28, 2014 at 14:34
  • Why do you think your 3 times question is about grammar? I asked you this, and you said It was not about the grammar of the question, but the mathematical interpretation of the question's text. Which is math(s).
    – SrJoven
    Oct 28, 2014 at 17:51
  • Arrg, let me try to understand the problem again. The question I get is on the GRE test, so I don't think that this should belong to ELL, because the aim of the test is testing the abilities of native speakers. The grammar of the test is well written, but it leads to ambiguous, for which I am asking right now. Once I get the correct meaning of the test, I will be able to form the correct mathematical expression easily. Math is not my question, English in math is my question.
    – Ooker
    Oct 28, 2014 at 18:11
  • It doesn't matter what English grammar speakers think. There is only one correct answer on an exam, and in this case, the answer is definable by BODMAS/PEMDAS as it's read, regardless of your interpretation (or that of alleged English experts). The GRE answer is a math(s) answer. The question: "Is this ambiguous?" Was never asked. And, thus far, never asked in the one place you should get a definitive, final, answer. It's not even "what do native English speakers think." It's about what is the answer given the question. And there's only one correct answer.
    – SrJoven
    Oct 28, 2014 at 19:04
  • Ahh, I get your point. This is a subtle case @.@
    – Ooker
    Oct 28, 2014 at 19:38

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