Maths Word Problems and Solutions

Problem 1 In one store in the afternoon sold twice more pears, than in the morning.
During the whole day they sold 360 kg. pears. How many kilograms of pears are sold in
the
morning
and
how
many
in
the
afternoon?
Solution:
Lets take that the sold in the morning pears are x kg, then in the afternoon are sold 2x
kg. Their sum x + 2x = 3x kg is the whole quantity sold pears, 360 kg. So we get the
following
equation
3x
=
360 <=>
x
=
360/3 <=>
x
=
120
Therefore in the morning they sold 120 kg pears, and in the afternoon 2.120 = 240 kg.
Problem 2 Ivan gathered twice more chestnuts than Peter and Boris gathered 2kg. more
than Peter. Together they gathered 26 kg. chestnuts. How many kilogrammes gathered
each
one
of
them?
Solution:
Lets take Peters chestnuts as x kg., then Ivan gathered 2x kg. and Boris (x +2) kg . All
gathered chestnuts are: x + 2x +x +2 = 4x +2 and by condition they are 26 kg. We get
the
equation:
4x
+2
=
26 <=>
4x
=
24 <=>
x
=
6
Therefore Peter gathered 6 kg., Ivan 2.6 = 12kg, Boris 6 +2 = 8 kg chestnuts.
Problem
3
Kamen read 2/3 of a book and calculated that the read part is with 90 pages more than
the
unread.
How
many
pages
is
the
whole
book?
Solution:
Lets take the whole book as x pages .The part he read is 2/3 from x , i.e. 2/3. x We will
get the unread part when from the whole book we subtract the read part, i.e. x - 2/3 . x =
3/3x - 2/3x = 1/3x The read part 2/3x is with 90 pages more than the unread one, which
is
1/3x
Therefore
2/3x 1/3x = 90 <=> 1/3x =90 <=> x = 90.3 = 270 So the book is 270 pages.
Problem
4
One tract can be ploughed with 6 tractors for 4 days, if they plough 120hectares a day.
Two of the tractors were moved to another tract. The rest 4 ploughed the same tract for
5 days. How many decares average a day ploughed the 4 tractors?
Solution:
If 6 tractors ploughed 120 hectares a day and finished the tract for 4 days, then the
whole tract is: 120.6.4 = 720.4 = 2880 hectaresLets take that every one of the four
tractors for the 5 days ploughed x hectares. Therefore the finished work:
5.4. x = 20. x hectares and this is the whole tract 2880 hectares
So we get 20x = 2880 <=> x = 2880/20 = 144 decares a day ploughed every on of the
four tractor-drivers.
Problem
5
One student thought of a number, multiplied it by 2. From the received product
subtracted 138 and got 102 . Which is the number the student thought of?

Solution:
Lets take the thought number as x, when he multiplied it with 2 he got (2x); from which
he subtracted 138 i.e. 2. x - 138 and by condition received 102 <=> 2. x -138 = 102 We
must
solve
this
equation
to
find
the
thought
number
2. x -138 = 102 <=> 2x = 240 <=> x = 240/2 <=> x = 120
Problem
6
I thought of a number, divided it by 5 , from the received quotient i subtracted 154 and
got
6.
Which
is
the
number
i
thought
of?
Instruction: The thought number is x and the equation: x/5 -154 = 6
Solve the equation by yourself. Answer x = 800
Problem
7
The distance between two towns is 380km. A car and a lorry started from the two towns
at the same time. At what speed drove the two vehicles, if the speed of the car is with
5km/h faster than the speed of the lorry and we know that they met after 4 hours?
Solution:
The basic dependence that is used in problems with movement is that the distance is
equal to the speed multiplied by the time S = V.t

Car
Lorry

V km./h.
x+5
X

t h.
4
4

S km.
4(x +5)
4x

4(x + 5) + 4x = 380 <=> 4x + 4x = 380 - 20 <=> 8x = 360 <=> x = 360/8 <=> x = 45

Therefore the lorry was driving with 45 km/h., and the car with 50 km/h.
Problem
8
One of the sides of a rectangle is with 3sm. shorter than the other one. Find the sides of
the rectangle if we know that, if we increase every side with 1sm., the surface of the
rectangle
will
be
increased
with
18sm. 2
Solution:
Lets take that one of the sides is x cm. (x > 3), then the other will be x 3 . For the
surface we find S1 = x(x - 3) cm.2. If we increase the proportions with 1sm. the sides will
be (x + 1) cm. and (x - 3 + 1 ) = (x - 2) cm. and these are the new proportions of the
rectangle so the surface is S 2 = (x + 1).(x - 2) cm. 2 and by condition it is with 18
cm.2bigger than the first one. Therefore we get the following equation :
S1 +18 = S2 <=> x(x - 3) + 18 = (x + 1)(x - 2) <=> x2 - 3x + 18 = x2 + x - 2x - 2 <=> 2x =
20 <=> x = 10 And so the sides of the rectangle are 10 cm. and (10 - 3) = 7sm.
Problem
9
For one year from two cows were milked 8100l.. The next year the first cow increased
her yield of milk with 15% and the second one with 10%. So they milked 9100 l. from
the two cows. How many litres are milked from every cow during the first and the
second
year?
Solution:

If during the first year the first cow gave x l., then the second one gave (8100 x) l. The
increase in the yield of milk is 15% of x, i.e. 15/100 .x and 10% of (8100 x), i.e. 10/100
. (8100 x) . Then during the second year the two cows gave the amount milk from the
first
year
+
the
increase
of
the
second
year
So we get the following equation: 8100 + 15/100.x + 10/100 . (8100 x) = 9100
Therefore 8100 + 3/20x + 1/10 (8100 x) = 9100 <=> 1/20 . x = 190 <=> x = 3800
And so for the first year the milked 3800 and 4300 l. from every cow and for the second
year 4370 l and 4730 l.
Problem
10
The distance between stations A and B is 148 km. From station A to station B leaves an
express train which proceeds with 80 km/h and at the same time from station B towards
station A leaves a goods train with 36 km/h. We know that before the two trains
meet at station C the express train made a 10min and the goods train - 5min. Find:
)
The
distance
between
station
C
and
station
B
b) At what time the goods train left station B if the meeting with the express train at
station
C
was
at
12
oclock.
Solution
a) We mark the distance from station B to station C with x km. Then the distance from
station C to station A is (148 x)km. By the time of the meeting at station C the express
train ran (148 x)/80 + 10/60 hours and the goods train x/36 +5/60 .Because the trains
left at the same time these times are equal : (148 x)/80 + 1/6 = x/36 + 1/12 We reduce
to a common denominator, which for 6, 12, 36, 80 is 720 We release from denominator
and
we
get:
9(148 x) +120 = 20x +60 <=> 1332 9x + 120 = 20x + 60
<=> 29x = 1392 <=> x = 48 Therefore the distance from station B to station C is 48 km.
b) By the time of meeting at station C the goods train ran 48/36 + 5/60 hours, i.e. 1 hour
and
25
min.
Therefore he left station B in 12 - 1.25/60 = 10.35/60 oclock, i.e. in 10 h. and 35min.
Problem
11
A motorman should have taken a distance from town A to town B for exact time. Two
hours after he left, he noticed that he covered 80 km and if he keeps that speed he will
arrive in B with 15 min delay. So he increased the speed with 10km/h and arrived in
town
B
36
minutes
earlier.
Find:
)
The
distance
between
the
two
towns;
b) The exact time that the motorman should have taken the distance from A to B
Solution:
We mark the distance from A to B with x km. Because the motorman took 80km for 2
hours his speed is V = 80/2 = 40 km/h. With that speed he would have taken the whole
distance for x/40 h, delaying with 15min, i.e. the exact time is x/40 15/60 h. The rest of
the distance (x - 80) km. he took with V = 40 + 10 = 50 /
So the time he took the distance from A to B, is 2 +(x - 80)/50 h. and it is with 36 min.
earlier than expected. Therefore the expected time is 2 + (x -80)/50 + 36/60 When we
equalize the expressions for the expected time, we get the equation :
x/40 15/60 = 2 + (x -80)/50 + 36/60 <=> (x - 10)/40 = (100 + x - 80 + 30)/50 <=> (x -

10)/4 = (x +50)/5 <=> 5x - 50 = 4x + 200 <=> x = 250

So the searched distance is 250 km. The exact time we will find by substituting x with
250
in
of
the
sides
of
the
first
equation,
for
example;
x/40 15/60 = 250/40 1/4 = 25/4 1/4 = 24/4 = 6 hours
Problem
12
To be able to make one order for pieces in time a team should make 25 pieces a day.
After 3 days the team increased the productivity with 5 pieces and made 100 pieces
over the plan for the exact time. Fine how many details the team made and for how
many
days?
Solution:
Lets take the days the team worked as x . Then 25.x are the pieces that they should
have
made.
With
the
new
rate
they
made:
1.25 + (x - 3)(25 + 5) = 75 + 30.(x - 3) and they are with 100 more than expected.
Then: 25. x = 75 + 30(x -3) 100 o 25x = 75 +30x -90 100 <=>
190
-75
=
30x
-25 <=>
115
=
5x <=>
x
=
23
So the days are 23 and the made pieces are 23.25 = 575
Problem
13
There are 24 students in 7a class. During a youth brigade they planted a total of 24
birches and roses where every girl planted 3 roses each and every three boys planted
1birch. Find how many birches and roses are planted from the students of 7a?
Solution:
Lets take the number of planted roses as x , then the birches are (24 x) . If every girl
planted 3 roses each the number of girls is x/3 . From the fact that 3 boys planted one
birch
follows
that
the
boys
are
3(24
x).
The total number of students in this class is 24, i.e. x/3 + 3(24 x) = 24 <=> x + 9(24
x) = 3.24 <=> x +216 9x = 72 <=> 216 72 = 8x <=> 144/8 = x <=> x = 18
Therefore the planted roses are 18 and the birches are 24 x = 24 - 18 = 6.
Problem
14
From town A went a car, by exact road, to town B at speed V = 32/. After 3 hours
from the departure the driver made a 15min stop in town C. Because of some damage
on the road he changed the road to town B with another one, which was with 28km.
longer than the exact one and he went at V = 40km/h. If the car has arrived with 30min
delay
in
town
B,
find:
a)
The
distance
the
car
has
covered
b)
The
time
that
took
the
driver
to
get
from
C
to
B
Solution:
From the condition of the problem we dont know if the 15min stop in town C is expected
or it is made because of the road damage. So we will observe both cases.
1st case . If the stop is expected and when he went directly to B. For both cases we will
observe only the movement from C to B. The real movement (by the longer road) we
will take as x h. Then the covered distance from C to B is S = 40.x . The time from C
to B if taking the exact road is x - 30/60 = x - 1/2h.The distance that he should have
covered from C to B if there was no road damage is (x - 1/2).32km, which is with 28

km.shorter
than
40.x
km.
So
the
equation
we
get
is
(x - 1/2).32 +28 = 40x <=> 32x -16 +28 = 40x <=> 8x = 12 <=> x = 12/8 x = 1.4/12 =
1.20/60
=
1h.20min.
So the car took the distance from C to B for 1hour and 20 min.
And the covered distance from A to B is 3.32 + 12/8.40 = 96 + 60 = 156 km.
II solution Lets take that the 15min stop is done only in the real case, i.e. because of the
necessary taking of the longer road. Lets again the movement which practically is made
from C to B, is for x . Then the distance is again S = 40.x .The exact movement from
C to B the time is x - 30/60 - 15/60 = x -45/60 = x - 3/4 h. The exact distance from C to B
is
32(x
3/4)km.
and
it
is
28
km.
shorter
than
40.x,
i.e.
32(x - 3/4) + 28 = 40x <=> 32x - 24 +28 = 40x <=> 4 = 8x <=> x = 1/2. x = 30 min.
Then the time for real movement from C to B is 30min. The covered distance is 3.32
+ 1/2.40 = 96 + 20 = 116 km.
Problem
15
To be able to plough a tract in time must plough 120hectaresa day. For technical
reasons he ploughed 85hectares a day, because of that he ploughed 2 days more than
the exact time and 40hectares left to be ploughed. Find how many decares is the whole
tract and how many days was the exact time to be ploughed?
Solution:
Lets take the days the tract should have been ploughed as x Then the whole tract is
12.x hectares If taking the real ploughing the time is x + 2 or 85 hectaresa day, therefore
it was ploughed 85(x + 2), which is with 40 hectares less than the whole tract. The
equation
is:
120. x = 85(x + 2) + 40 <=> 35x = 210 <=> x = 6 So the days the tract should have been
ploughed are 6 and the tract is 120.6 = 720 hectares