Josh Harris

Problem Solving
 Texas Essential Knowledge and
Skills
Number and operations. The student applies mathematical process
standards to connect repeated addition and subtraction to
multiplication and division situations that involve equal groupings
and shares. The student is expected to:
(A) model, create, and describe contextual multiplication situations
in which equivalent sets of concrete objects are joined; and
(B) model, create, and describe contextual division situations in
which a set of concrete objects is separated into equivalent sets
 A rubber ball rebounds to half the height it drops. If the ball is
dropped from a rooftop 18 m above the ground, what is the total
distance traveled by the time it hits the ground the third time?
a. 31.5 m
b. 40.5 m
c. 45 m
d. 63 m
What is the question asking?

what is the total distance traveled by the time it hits the ground the
third time?
The first step in the problem is to find out what the question is asking.
In this case, the student is to solve for the total amount of distance it
took for the ball to hit the ground after three times.
What we know

A rubber ball rebounds to half the height it drops. The ball is

dropped from a rooftop 18 m above the ground.
Operation

Decide which operation to use to solve the question.

Steps to solve

The next step is to find out the height of the first rebound.
Do this by dividing 18 by 2 to find the first rebound height (9).
Because the ball travels the first rebound height up and then back
down, add twice this value (2x9=18) to the original drop height
(18+18 =36).
Then to find the second rebound height divide the first rebound
height by 2 (4.5) and add twice this value (9) to the previous total
(36+9=45).
Since the ball hits the ground a third time after the second rebound
this is the total distant that the ball has traveled (45m).
Equation

d = 18
d+2(1/2 d)+2(1/2(1/2d)) = total
Or d+d+1/2d = total, 18+18+9 = 45
Answer Choice

Check your answer choices and choose the correct letter.

Answer

45m