SOLVING WORD PROBLEMS IN ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS

A. AGE PROBLEMS

1. Adam is 20 years younger than Brian. In two years Brian will be twice as old as Adam. How old are they
now?

2. Carmen is 12 years older than David. Five years ago the sum of their ages was 28. How old are they now?

3. Louis is 26 years old. Her daughter is 4 years old. In how many years will Louis be double her daughter’s
age?
Problem Set #1

1. 1. A boy is 10 years older than his brother. In 4 years he will be twice as old as his brother. Find the
present age of each. (6,16)
2. A father is 4 times as old as his son. In 20 years the father will be twice as old as his son. Find the
present age of each. (10,40)
3. Pat is 20 years older than his son James. In two years Pat will be twice as old as James. How old are
they now? (18,38)
4. Diane is 23 years older than her daughter Amy. In 6 years Diane will be twice as old as Amy. How old
are they now? (17,40)
5. Fred is 4 years older than Barney. Five years ago the sum of their ages was 48. How old are they now?
(27,31)
6. A is now 34 years old, and B is 4 years old. In how many years will A be twice as old as B? (26)

B. MIXTURE PROBLEMS

1. A chemist has 70 mL of a 50% methane solution. How much of a 80% solution must she add so the final
solution is 60% methane?

2. A coffee mix is to be made that sells for S2.50 by mixing two types of coffee. The cafe has 40 mL of coffee
that costs S3.00. How much of another coffee that costs S1.50 should the cafe mix with the first?
3. A solution of pure antifreeze is mixed with water to make a 65% antifreeze solution. How much of each
should be used to make 70 L?

Problem Set #2

1. A tank contains 8000 liters of a solution that is 40% acid. How much water should be added to make a
solution that is 30% acid? (2666.7)
2. How much antifreeze should be added to 5 quarts of a 30% mixture of antifreeze to make a solution
that is 50% antifreeze? (2)
3. Of 12 pounds of salt water 10% is salt; of another mixture 3% is salt. How many pounds of the second
should be added to the first in order to get a mixture of 5% salt? (30)
4. How much alcohol must be added to 24 gallons of a 14% solution of alcohol in order to produce a 20%
solution? (1,8)
5. How many pounds of a 4% solution of borax must be added to 24 pounds of a 12% solution of borax
to obtain a 10% solution of borax? (8)

C. WORK PROBLEMS

1. One printing press can produce a newspaper in 6 hours running alone. A second press could produce the
paper in 9 hours running alone. A third press could produce the paper in 12 hours working alone. A late-
breaking headline caused the newspaper to change the paper later than usual. If all three presses are run,
how long will it take to produce the newspaper?
2. Leto's department can deliver enough parts to fill a storeroom in 8 hours. Jessica's department uses the
part to build another product. Her department can deplete a full storeroom in 12 hours. Starting with an
empty storeroom, how long will it take Leto's area to fill the storeroom while Jessica's department is working?

Problem Set #3

1. Ghanima can correct a stack of papers in 5 hours, and Thufir can correct them in 4 hours. Howe long
does it take them to correct the papers together? (2 2/9)
2. Duncan can clean the house in 2 hours and Piter can clean the house in 3 hours. How long will it take
them to clean the house together? (1 1/5)
3. Atreides Painting Company can paint a house in 4 hours. Harkonnen Painting can paint the house in 3
hours. How long will it take them to paint the house together? (1 5/7)
4. A cold-water pipe can fill a swimming pool in 10 hours, and a hot-water pipe can fill the pool in 15
hours. How long will it take to fill the pool if both pipes are left open? (6)
5. Gurney can mow the lawn in 132 hours. Moneo can mow the lawn in 144 hours. How long will it take
them to mow the lawn if they work together? (1 57/62)
D. DIGIT PROBLEMS

Problem Set#4

1. –
2. –

Ans.

1. 70, 65

2. 7

E. Motion Problems
DISTANCE = RATE X TIME

From this perspective there are two types of uniform motion problems. Either

A. The distance are equal, or

B. The sum of the distances equal a number

TYPE A. If the distances are equal, one of two things must occur.

1. You go somewhere and return, or

2. You leave to go somewhere and someone else leaves later and catches up to you

In either case, the distances are equal. Mathematically we write D1 = D2

Type B. If someone did not catch up to you or if you did not go somewhere and come back, the distances are
not equal. That means the sum of the distances must be equal to a number.

1. Two trains start from the same station at the same time and travel in opposite directions. One train
travels at an average rate of 40 mph, the other at 65 mph. In how many hours will they be 315 miles
apart?

2. Bob starts out in his car traveling 30 mph. Four hours later, Mr. Speedster starts out from the same
point at 60 mph to overtake Bob. In how many hours will he catch him?

Problem Set#5