Breakdown of Tanto si el resultado es exacto como si es aproximado, explica de dónde sale cada número.
Questions & Answers about Tanto si el resultado es exacto como si es aproximado, explica de dónde sale cada número.
What is the grammar pattern tanto si ..., como si ...?
Why is si used twice?
Why is it es and not sea?
Because in this structure Spanish normally uses the indicative, not the subjunctive.
This is one of the things that can confuse learners, because como si by itself often means as if and then it usually takes the subjunctive:
- Habla como si fuera profesor
But in tanto si ... como si ..., it is a different structure, meaning whether ... or ..., and es is the normal form.
Why is es repeated? Could I leave it out after como si?
Is explica an imperative here?
Yes. Explica is the tú imperative of explicar.
In textbooks, exercises, and classroom instructions, Spanish often uses this form:
- calcula
- escribe
- explica
It is a direct instruction to one student, in the informal singular.
Why not use explique instead of explica?
Because explique would be the formal singular command for usted, while explica is the informal singular command for tú.
In many school materials, especially when speaking directly to the learner, Spanish commonly uses tú commands.
So:
- explica = tell one student informally
- explique = tell one person formally
What does de dónde sale mean literally, and how is it used here?
Literally, it means from where it comes out. Idiomatically, it means where it comes from or how it is obtained.
In a maths or problem-solving context, de dónde sale cada número means you should justify each number:
- what operation produced it
- what step it comes from
- why it appears in the solution
It is a very natural Spanish way to talk about showing your working.
Why does dónde have an accent mark?
Because it is an interrogative word in an indirect question.
Compare:
In both cases, dónde keeps the accent.
Without the accent, donde is usually a relative word, as in:
- el lugar donde vive
Why is it cada número and not cada números?
Because cada is followed by a singular count noun.
So:
- cada número = each number
- not cada números
This is the same idea as English each number, not each numbers.
Why is it sale and not salen?
Why are the adjectives exacto and aproximado masculine singular?
Could I say tanto si el resultado es exacto o aproximado?
Not with the same meaning and structure.
After tanto si, standard Spanish normally uses como si, not o:
- tanto si es exacto como si es aproximado
If you want to use o, you would normally choose a different structure, for example:
- sea exacto o aproximado
- ya sea exacto o aproximado
So English whether ... or ... does not map word-for-word here.
Why is there a comma before explica?
Because the sentence begins with a long introductory clause, and then comes the main command.
Structure:
- introductory part: Tanto si el resultado es exacto como si es aproximado
- main instruction: explica de dónde sale cada número
The comma helps separate those two parts clearly. It is natural and standard punctuation in Spanish.
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