HOW TO WORK WORD PROBLEMS IN ALGEBRA: PART II ‘Word Problem Examples: 1 Age: Abigail is 6 years older than Jonathan. Six years ago she was twice as old as he. How old i each now? Solan: Let xonatha's age no mal be) £65 oaths ge 8 years a0 (+ 6)-6= aiglls age 6 years a85 Equation: (ot )-$=20-6) ai 2 Answers: x= 12 Gonahan'sage 0%) 8 (Abigas age now) ‘There are two auners whose sum it 72. One number is twice the other, What are the numibers? Steps: 1. Read the obi. Itisabot numbers 2. The queion nthe nda "What me the numbers” So we tout tx = sal umber” Bere you abyss with x (at Is). Never st ff with let ~ Shing" becuse its mearngless wales you know what xstans ft 5. Now lets vat tall gate and ave, Sotation: Let x= al suber 2a large number Then 2-72 2 Answers: x=24 (smaller number) ‘48 lager numer) (Check: Thesum ofthe mbes is 72, Th 24 +48-=72,3, Rate, Time, and Distance: A freight rain tarts from Los Angeles and heads for Chicago at 40 mph, Two hours later ‘passenger tain leaves the same station for Chicago traveling 60 mph, How long before the passenger tain overtakes the freight tin? Steps: 1, Read the probion trough carefully 2. The auction tthe en of ie problem ake how lng (which means ine) fr the passenger ‘ran Time your unc Sotuton: Draw sech of movant a Pas Now rsdn problem again rom te ginning for hose indivi spe The righ rain waved 40 ‘ph ane "Twe hours Iter apasergr an. raveling 60 mph Tate Time: ‘Disasee Fag 40 Pam, eo But a0 fr you havent ny unknown, The questn asked is, "Mow lng bei thepusenger vain ‘verte the ig in” Let x= time in ours forthe pesrger tan “The passenger tin stared ours th eight ins the fight nook 2 hor longer. You a epee thine forte igh train by 32 Rate Time Distance Tae a0 aed Pasenate o. x Now, at tines ne equ dite (150 muliply what you hae in he ates nes what _you have in the ie box and put eres in tbe stan bo Tate Tie Distance Fei a FEE) 082) Poser a x co Setthestio distances el fr oregon: 146+ 2)= 605 ‘Wn a0 6x “aoe 80 newer: 24 Check: a + 2)= 48) O20 24. Mixtures ‘A mixture containing 6% boric acid is to be mixed with 2 quarts of mixture which is 15% boric sci inorder to obtain @ solution which is 12% boric acid. How much of the 6% solution must be uted? Steps: 1, Draw tee daganstorepresat the thee solutions im 2nd Taal Mae = + Mxtwe = Mitre 2. Find out what the eran rin cach intr and he amon nd pin he proper place: we a Ta o is i 5. Thequation sks, "How much ofthe 6 soluion must be used?” Therefor let represent the tmount of alton wed. The tl lion wil ave x ut pls 2 guar (rhe otal of the ‘ther two sions). Leax= quate of 6 saan xe 2g Gena e+ 1S Ta ‘Yunow rerety to solve the pote. Ifyou mip the amaut of sluion bythe percent of sci nthe slo, you wl nthe mau of pre vi sid nach sltin. The aout of Pie scidin th fin! saan equal tothe su ofthe amounisof pse seid in the Eo igi rotons 006 2015) 01242) Pureacid —Parearid ‘Presid Equation: 0.061 +2(019)= 0.142) Eliminate penises et 0.06 +030 0124+ 0.24 “To clear decimal, ipl by 100 which mover ll decal plats wo paces the ght 6x 30~ 124424 ns newer: X=1 Check: 1058 +050 0:28 +026 ‘oo #0300121) + 026 036-036 5. Coins: ‘Michae has some coins in his pocket consisting of dimes, nickels, and pennies. He has ‘wo more nickels than dimes, and three times as many pennies as nickels. How many of cach kindof coins does he have ithe total value is 52 cents? Steps 1. Determine wich of the coin a theft This often a god way find what x represent Herc as ewer desta kes or pees 3