SOLVING WORD PROBLEMS

Here are Polya’s problem solving techniques that you can do to help you translate the
word problem into math.

Step 1. Read the problem carefully and thoroughly.

The word problem is the source of information. Read it carefully to avoid confusion on the
information you will need to solve the problem.

 List down information that is given in the word problem.

 You can make drawings or diagrams if it helps you understand the problem better.
 List down what is unknown. An unknown is quantity that your problem requires you to find
out, or the quantity that is necessary to find out in order to obtain the solution. Also, identify
the units to be use (i. e. miles, kilometers, etc.)

Step 2. Represent the unknown with a variable.

 Keep your representation simple. If a problem asks about two consecutive numbers, you can
either represent it as x and y or as x and x+1. The latter is simple since you only have one
variable.

Note this down. Half way down the computation you must forget what is and you will have to start over. Also it would be
helpful for you to explain every step you took, so that you can backtrack and check if you have missed anything.

STEP 3. Write the equation using the information given.

Look at the relationship of the information given and the unknown.

Look for keywords. This helps you determine whether to add, subtract, multiply, or divide in order to solve the problem.

STEP 4. Solve the equation.

Use different methods to solve the equation.

STEP 5. Check whether you answer is correct.

Substitute your solution with the variable in the equation to check if the solution is correct.

TYPES OF WORD PROBLEM

1. NUMBER WORD PROBLEM

Example No. 1
The sum of 3 consecutive integers is 33. Find the numbers.
Let x be the 1st number
x+1 be the 2nd Number
x+2 be the 3rd number

x+(x+1) +(x+2) =33

3x = 33-3 x = 10
3x = 30 10+1= 11
x = 10 10+2= 12

Example No. 2
There are two numbers. The larger number is two times the smaller number plus four. The sum of two numbers is
22. Find the numbers.

Let x be the smaller number

2x+4 be the larger number

x+(2x+4) = 22 2(6) + 4 = 16
 3x = 22-4 x=6
3x = 18
x=6 Therefore, 6 and 16 are the numbers.

Example No. 3
The sum of a number and 5 less that number is 25. Find the number.

x+(x-5) = 25
2x = 25+5
2x = 30
x = 15 Therefore, the number is 15.

Example No. 4
The sum of two numbers is equal to 11. Their difference is five. Find the numbers.

x+(x-5) = 11 x=8
2x = 11+5 x-5 = 8-5 = 3
2x = 16
x=8 Therefore, the two numbers are 8 and 3.

2. AGE WORD PROBLEM

Example No. 1:
Today, a boy is thrice as old as he was eight years ago. What is his age today?

Let x be the boy’s present age

3(x-8) be the boy’s age 8 years ago

x = 3(x-8)
x= 3x-24
−2 x −24
x-3x = 24 =
2 −2
x = 12 Therefore, his age today is 12 years old.

Example No. 2
Ailyn’s brother is twice as old as her. 10 years from now her brother will be 13 years older than her. What is ailyn
age?

Let x be Ailyn’s age

2x be Ailyn’s brother age

10 yrs. ago

x+ 10 + 13

2x + 10

(x+10) + 13 = 2x+10
x+23 = 2x+10
2x-x = 23-10
x = 13 Therefore, Ailyn’s age is 13.

3. WORK WORD PROBLEM

Work = Rate • Time

Work
Rate =
Time
 Work
Time =
Rate

What is important in work word problems is to look at how much a person / machine can do in a given unit of
time.

Example No. 1
Erwin can build a doll house in 4 days, while Eric can finish it in 8 days. How long will they be able to finish the doll
house if they work together?

Rate Time Work Done

Erwin 1 X x
4 4
Eric 1 x x
8 8

x x
8( + ) = 1(8)
4 8
2x + x = 8
3x 8
=
3 3
8 2
x= or 2 days
3 3

Example No. 2
Cora can finish the laundry in 2 hrs. her daughter, Carla, helps her. Together they finish the laundry in 1.5 hours. How long
can Carla finish the laundry if she does it by herself?
Rate Time Work Done

Cora 1 3 3
1.5 or
2 2 4
Carla 1 3 3
1.5∨
x 2 2x

3 3
4x ( + ) = (1) (4x)
4 2x
3x + 6 = 4x
6 = 4x – 3x
x = 6 hours

Example No. 3
Abby can wash the dishes in 15 minutes. Patrick can wash it in 0 minutes. If they worked together, how many minutes will
it take for them to wash the dishes?
Rate Time Work Done

Abby 1 x x
15 15
 Patrick 1 x x
10 10

x x
30 ( + ) = (1) (30)
15 10
2x + 3x = 30
5 x 30
=
5 5
x = 6 minutes

4. DISTANCE PROBLEM

Example No. 1
Two cars leave Naga City and travel in opposite directions. Car A averages 12 kph less than Car B. after 3 hours, they are
396 km apart. What is the average rate of each car?
Rate Time Distance

CAR A x – 12 3 3 (x - 12)

CAR B x 3 3x

3x + 3(x – 12) = 396 x - 12

3x + 3x – 36 = 396 72 - 12
6x = 396 + 36 60 kph (CAR A)
6 x 432
=
6 6
x = 72 kph (CAR B)

Example No. 2
Two buses traveled the same distance. Bus A traveled at 80 kph and Bus B at 60 kph. It took Bus B one hour longer to
make the trip. How long did it take each bus to make the trip?
Rate Time Distance

BUS A 80 x 80x

BUS B 60 x+1 60 (x + 1)

80x = 60 (x + 1) x+1
80x = 60x + 60 3+1
80x – 60x = 60 4 hours (BUS B)
20 x 60
=
20 20
x = 3 hours (BUS A)

Example No. 3
A tricycle and a bicycle start from the same point and the same time and travel in opposite directions. The tricycle
averages 30 kph and the bicycle at 20 kph. In how many hours will they be 100 km apart?
 Rate Time Distance

Tricycle 30 x 30x

Bicycle 20 x 20x

30x + 20x = 100

50 x 100
=
50 50
x = 2 hours

Example No. 4
A bus travelling at an average rate of 50 kph made the trip 6 hours. If it had travelled 45 kph, how many more minutes
would it have taken to make the trip?
Rate Time Distance

BUS CASE A 50 6 300

BUS CASE B 45 6+x 45 (6 + x)

300 = 45 (6 + x)
300 = 270 + 45x
300 – 270 = 45x
30 45 x
=
45 45
30
=x
45
2
x= or 40 minutes
3

5. EXPONENTIAL GROWTH

A = Final Population
P = Initial Population
R = Rate of Growth

A = Pert

Example No. 1
In 1950, the world’s population was 2, 555, 982, 611. With a growth rate of approximately 1.68%, what was the
population in 1955?
A=? P = 2, 555, 982, 611 r = 0.0168 t = 5 years

A = Pert
A = 2, 555, 982, 611e (0.0168) (5)
A = 2, 555, 982, 611e (0.084)
A = 2, 555, 982, 611 (1.08763)
A = 2, 779, 963, 367

Example No. 2
A = 731, 093 P = 525, 600 r = 3% per year t=?
A = Pert
731, 093 = 525, 600e (0.03) (t) loge = ln
731 ,093 525 ,600 e 0.03 t
= lne = 1
525 ,600 525 , 600
1.39097 = e0.03t logby = ylogb
ln 1.39097 = lne0.03t
ln 1.39097 = 0.03t lne
0.33000 = 0.03t (1)
0.33000 0.03 t
=
0.03 0.03
t = 11 years

Example No. 3
A = 1, 240, 000 r = 8% per year t = 30 years P=?
rt
A=P e
rt rt
e e
A
P= rt
e
1, 240 , 000
P= ( 0.08 ) ( 30 )
e
1, 240 , 000
P= (2.4 )
e
1, 240 , 000
P=
11. 02318
P = 112, 490.2251
P = 112, 490

6. MIXTURE WORD PROBLEM

Mixture problems involve finding out the percentage, price or same other quality of a mixture of two or more things.
In mixture problems, you will be asked to determine the cost of the terms in the mixture, or the cost of each item, given
the cost of all the whole mixture. Liquid mixtures may also required that you determined the percentage of each ingredient used,
the strength of an ingredient used in the mixture.

Example No. 1
1 2
Philip sells a nut mixture consisting of cashew nuts and peanuts. Cashew nuts cost 3 times as much as peanut. If a kilo
3 3
of a mixture cost him 30 pesos. How much did Philip pay for a kilo of cashew nuts? How much for a kilo of peanut?

Let x be the price of peanuts

3x be the price of cashew nuts

1 2
(3x) + (x) = 30 3x – 3 (18) = 54
3 3
3x 2x
3( + = 30) 3
3 3
3x + 2x = 90
 5 x 90
=
5 5
x = 18
Therefore, the price of peanuts is 18 pesos and the price of cashew nuts if 54 pesos.

Example No. 2
The Reyes family went to the zoo. The entrance fee for the adults is 40 pesos each and 25 pesos each for the children. All
in all, the Reyes family spent 220 pesos in entrance fees for seven tickets. How many were adults and how many were children?

Let x be the number of adults

7 – x be the number of children

40x + 25 (7 – x) = 220
40x + 175 – 25x = 220
40x – 25x = 220 – 175
15 x 45
=
15 15
x = 3 (number of adult)
7 – 3 = 4 (number of children)

Example No. 3
A mixture that contains 16% alcohol is to be mixed with 2 ounces of a mixture which is 25% alcohol in order to obtain a
solution which is 18% alcohol. How much of the first solution must be used?
1st Mixture 2nd Mixture Result
Volume x 2 x+2
Strength 16% 25% 18%

0.16x + 0.5 = 0.18x + 0.36

0.16x – 0.18x = 0.36 – 0.5
−0.02 x −0.14
=
−0.02 −0.02
x=7

Example No. 4
Two ounces of a mixture with an unknown percentage of salt is to be added to four ounces of a mixture which is 15% salt,
in order to produce a solution with 12% salt. What percentage of salt in the first mixture?

1st Mixture 2nd Mixture Result

Volume 2 4 6
Strength x 15% 12%

2x + (4) 0.15 = (6) 0.12

2x + 0.6 = 0.72
2x = 0.72 – 0.6
2 x 0.12
=
2 2
x = 0.06
x = 6%

7. INVESTMENT WORD PROBLEM

Investment word problems usually involve money invested for a certain amount of time and for certain
percentage of interest. For this section, we will deal only with simple interest (and not compounded interest). We use the formula
i = prt

Example No. 1
 Mr. Manny Baggs invested Php 200, 000. Not one who will put his money in one basket. He invested his money in the
bank and in government bonds. The bank will pay 5.5% annual interest and the bonds pay a return of 6.5% interest. How much
money did he invest in the bank and in the bonds if he earns Php 12, 400 a year in interest?

Let x be the investment in the bank

200, 000 – x be the investment in the bonds

Principal Rate Time Interest

Bank x 0.055 1 year 0.055x
Bonds 200, 000 - x 0.065 1 year 0.065(200, 000 – x)

0.055x + 0.065(200, 000 – x) = 12, 400

0.055x + 13, 000 – 0.065x = 12, 400
0.055x – 0.065x = 12, 400 – 13, 000
−0.01 x −600
=
−0.01 −0.01
x = 60, 000 (BANK)
200, 000 – 60, 000 = 140, 000 (BONDS)

Example No. 2
Miss Thrifty placed half of her money in the Bank and another half in the Bonds. The Bank pays 3.5% annual
interest while the Bonds pay 8.5% return. How much money did Miss Thrifty originally have if she earned Php 27, 000 in
interest from these investments?

x
Let be the investment in the Bank
2
x
be the investment in the Bonds
2

Principal Rate Time Interest

BANK x 0.035x 1 0.035 x

2 2
BONDS x 0.085x 1 0.085 x
2 2

0.035 x 0.085 x
+ = 27, 000
2 2
0.12 x
= 27, 000
2
0.06 x 27 , 000
=
0.06 0.06
x = 450, 000

Example No. 3
Diseree hs Php 5, 000 in the Bank. The bank gives 4% interest per year. If she earned Php 400 in interest. How
long did she let her money stay in the bank?
Principal Rate Time Interest

BANK 5, 000 0.04 x 200x

200 x 400
=
200 200
x = 2 years
 8. GEOMETRY WORD PROBLEM

Example No. 1
A rectangle’s length is larger than its width by 3 inches. If the perimeter of the rectangle is 26 inches,
find the dimensions of the rectangle.

Let w be the width

w + 3 be the length

P = 2l + 2w
2(w + 3) + 2(w) = 26
2w + 6 + 2w = 26
4w = 26 – 6
4w = 20
w = 5 (WIDTH)
w + 3 = 8 (LENGTH)

Example No. 2
A piece of a rectangular cloth has a width that is greater than its length by 2. The cloth is cut in half
directly across its width. The resulting pieces of cloth each have a perimeter of 14. What are the dimensions
of each resulting piece of cloth?

Let x be the length

x+2
be the width
2

2(x+ 2)
2(x) + = 14
2
2x +x + 2 = 14
2x + x = 14 – 2
3 x 12
=
3 3
x = 4 (LENGTH)
x+2
= 3 (WIDTH)
2

V. ACTIVITIES:

Directions: Solve the following problems. Show your complete

solution on a separate sheet of bond paper and box your final answer.

1. If a number x is added to 3 less than five times itself, the result is 27. Find the number.
2. The sum of two numbers is 51. The larger number is three less than twice the smaller number. What are the numbers?
3. The length of a rectangle is one more than twice the width and the perimeter is 26cm. Find the length and width.
4. Maria’s father is three times as old as Maria six years ago. Father’s age was five times Maria’s age. What are their ages
now?
5. James is twice as old as Keziah three years ago. James was thrice as old as Keziah. How old are James and Keziah now?
6. The sum of the ages of Cora and Rose is 40. Cora is four years older than Rose. How old is Cora?
7. Xavier can wash and wax one car in four hours. Andrei can do the same job in six hours. If they work together, how long
will it take them to wash and wax the car?
6
8. Dino can finish painting a room in two hours. Working together with his friend, Leo, they can finish painting a room in
5
hours. How long will it take Leo to finish the job alone?
9. P = 680, 000 r = 12% per year t = 8 years A=?
10. A = 1, 240, 000 r = 8% per year t = 30 years P=?
11. A = 786, 000 P = 247, 000 t = 17 years r=?
12. A = 1, 361, 745 P = 225, 095 r = 12% per year t=?
 13. The United States has a population growth rate of 0.7%. If there were 321 million people in the year 2015, when will there
be 400 million people in the United States?
14. The sum of three consecutive integers is 84. Find the integers.
15. Rai is 28 years older than his son, John. Twelve years ago, he was eight times as old as his son. Find the present age of
each.
16. A passenger jeep traveling at 30kph leaves a town. Two hours later, a car leaves the same town and travel at the same
direction at 80kph. How long will it take the car to overtake the jeep?
17. In 15 years, Alma will be four times as old as she was nine years ago. How old is she now?
18. A recording tape 500 m long is cut into two pieces, one of which is 130 m shorter than twice the length of the other. How
long is the longer piece?
19. To do a job alone, it would take Pinpin 3 hours, Ping 4 hours and Aping 6 hours. How long would it take them to finish the
job if they work together?
20. A line parallel to the base of a triangle divides the left side into segments 8 and 24. If the right side has length 28, how long
is each segment formed when the line divides this side.
21. The sum of two numbers is 23 and their difference is 9. Find the larger number.
22. The length of a rectangle is 6 more than the width. If the width is 3x – 4, what is the perimeter of the rectangle?
23. A ladder just reaches the top of a wall 15ft high when the end on the ground is 8ft from the wall. How long is the ladder?
24. The length of a rectangle is 3x – 2 cm and the width is x + 3 cm. what is the area?
25. One candle will burn completely at a uniform rate in 4 hours while another in 3 hours. At what time should the two
candles be simultaneously lighted so that one will be half the length of the other at 6:00 PM?

MATHEMATICAL LOGIC

Logic deals with the scientific method of judging truth or falsity of statements.
Mathematics is thought of as a body of statements, the theory of symbolic logic is essential
in understanding the Nature of Mathematics as a logical system. In fact, logic is the basis of
all Mathematical reasoning.
Mathematical Logic is a broad subject and this chapter is by no means a complete
treatment of this subject. Our discussion will cover only a brief treatment of the
elementary ideas of logic especially those which we shall use in the development of the
elements of Algebra.

1. PROPOSITION
 A statement that is either true or false but not both true and false under the same condition.
 It can be represented by variables p, q and r.
 It is an open statement.

Examples:
p: Jane has 30 days.
q: 3 is an odd number.
r: An equilateral triangle is also isosceles.

2.CONJUNCTION
A proposition formed by combining two or more simple statements in certain ways is called a compound proposition.
If p and q denote two propositions, the compound proposition “p and q” written symbolically as pɅq is called the conjunction of
p and q or simply the conjunction.
Examples:
pɅq: June has 30 days and 3 is an odd number.
 qɅr: 3 is an odd number and an equilateral triangle is also isosceles.

TRUTH TABLE RULE (Ʌ):

For the statement to be considered true, both statements need to be true, otherwise it is false.
p q pɅq
T T T
T F F
F T F
F F F

2. DISJUNCTION
 A compound proposition formed by joining the two or more simple propositions by the word “or”
is called a disjunction.
 If p and q denote two propositions, the compound proposition “p and q” written symbolically as
p ꓦ q is called the disjunction of p and q.

Examples:
pVq: June has 30 days or 3 is an odd number.

TRUTH TABLE RULE (Ʌ):

For the statement to be false, both of them must be false, otherwise it is true.
p q pVq
T T F
T F F
F T F
F F T

3. NEGATION
 It is the denial of the statement.
Examples:
~p: June doesn’t have 30 days.
~q: An equilateral triangle is not isosceles.
~r: 3 is not an odd number.

TRUTH TABLE RULE (Ʌ):

Get the opposite of the statement.
p q ~p ~q
T T F F
T F F T
F T T F
F F T T

4. IMPLICATION OR CONDITIONAL PROPOSITION

 If p and q are proposition, then the statement “if p and q, then q” denoted symbolically by p→q is
called a conditional proposition or an implication.

Examples:
p→q: If June has 30 days, then 3 is an odd number.
q→r: If 3 is an odd number, then an equilateral triangle is also isosceles.

TRUTH TABLE RULE (Ʌ):

For the statement to be false, the first statement must be true and the second must be false, otherwise all of them are true.
p q p→q
T T T
T F F
F T T
F F T

5. BICONDITIONAL OR EQUIVALENCE PROPOSITION

 If p and q are propositions, the statements “p if and only if q” denoted by p↔q is called a
biconditional.
Examples:
p↔q: June has 30 days if and only if 3 is an odd number.
p↔r: June has 30 days if and only if an equilateral triangle is also isosceles.

TRUTH TABLE RULE (Ʌ):

For the statement to be true, both statements must be both true or both false, otherwise it is false.
p q p↔q
T T T
T F F
F T F
F F T

CONSTRUCTING A TRUTH TABLE

1. (pɅq)↔~[(p ꓦ q)→q]

p q pɅq pꓦq (p ꓦ q)→q ~(p ꓦ q)→q (pɅq)↔~[(p ꓦ q)→

q]
T T T T T F F
T F F T F T F
F T F T T F T
F F F F T F T

2. (p→q)↔{~r↔[(pɅq)ꓦ(p↔r)→(q ꓦ r)]}

p q r p→q pɅq p↔r (pɅq)ꓦ(p↔r) qꓦr (pɅq)ꓦ(p↔r)→(q ꓦ r) ~r

T T T T T T T T T F
T T F T T F T T T T
T F T F F T T T T F
T F F F F F F F T T
F T T T F F F T T F
F T F T F T T T T T
F F T T F F F T T F
F F F T F T T F F T

~r↔[(pɅq)ꓦ(p↔r)→(q ꓦ r)] (p→q)↔{~r↔[(pɅq)ꓦ(p↔r)→(q ꓦ r)]}

F F
T T
F T
T F
F F
T T
F F
F F
 MODULAR ARITHMETIC
THE COMPUTATION OF MOD M

1. 2314 (mod 645)

a. 314 = 2 • 157 + 0 b. 314 = [100111010]2

157 = 2 • 78 + 1 21 = 2
78 = 2 • 39 + 0 23 = 8
39 = 2 • 19 + 1 24 = 16
19 = 2 • 9 + 1 25 = 32
9=2•4+1 28 = 256
4=2•2+0 314
2=2•1+0
1 =2•0+1

0
c.22 ( mod 645 )=2 d. 2314 ( mod 645 )=( 4 )( 256 )(391)(16)(16)
1
314
22 ( mod 645 )=4 2 ( mod 645 )=102 , 498 , 304 (mod 645)
2
314
22 ( mod 645 )=16 2 ( mod 645 )=64
3

22 ( mod 645 )=256

4

22 ( mod 645 ) =391

5

22 ( mod 645 )=16

6

22 ( mod 645 )=256

7

22 ( mod 645 )=391

8

22 ( mod 645 )=16

 2. 3724 (mod 824)

a. 724 = 2 • 362 + 0 b. 724 [1011010100]2

2
360 = 2 • 181 + 0 2 =4
4
181 = 2 • 90 + 1 2 =16
6
90 = 2 • 45 + 0 2 =64
7
45 = 2 • 22 + 1 2 =128
9
22 = 2 • 11 + 0 2 = 512
5 2•5+1 724
5=2•2+1
2=2•1+0
1=2•0+1

0
c.32 ( mod 824 )=3 d. 3724 ( mod 824 )=(81)(137)(529)(505)(9)
1
724
32 ( mod 824 )=9 3 ( mod 824 )=26 , 680 , 572, 585( mod 824)
2
724
32 ( mod 824 )=81 3 ( mod 824 )=545
3

32 ( mod 824 )=6 , 561=793

4

32 ( mod 824 )=628 , 849=137

5

32 ( mod 824 )=18 , 769=641

6

32 ( mod 824 )=410 ,881=529

7

32 ( mod 824 )=279 , 841=505

8

32 ( mod 824 )=255 , 025=409

9

32 ( mod 824 )=167 , 281=9

APPLICATION OF MODULAR ARITHMETIC

1. If it is 8am today, what time will it be 56 hours from now.

8 + 56 (mod 12)

= 64 mod 12

(5X12=60) REMAINDER 4

= 4 PM

2. Suppose that today is Friday, what day will it be 73 days from now?

73 mod 7

=3

= MONDAY

Friday-SATURDAY(1)-SUNDAY(2)-MONDAY(3)

3. If July 4, 2017 was a Tuesday, which day of the week is July 4, 2022?

5 (365) + 1 (mod 7)

1825+1 (mod 7)

1826 (mod 7)

1820 (mod 7)

= 6 - MONDAY

=Tuesday-WEDNESDAY(1)-THURSDAY(2)-FRIDAY(3)-SATURDAY(4)-SUNDAY(5)-MONDAY(6)

V. ACTIVITIES:

ACTIVITY A

1. Find the least positive value of x such that

(i) 71 ≡ x (mod 8)
(ii) 78 + x ≡ 3 (mod 5)
 (iii) 89 ≡ (x + 3) (mod 4)
(iv) 96 ≡ x/7(mod 5)
(v) 5x ≡ 4(mod 6)

2. Find the remainder when 281 is divided by 17.

3. 3. The duration of flight travel from Chennai to London through British Airlines is approximately 11 hours. The airplane begins its
journey on Sunday at 23:30 hours. If the time at Chennai is four and half hours ahead to that of London’s time, then find the time at
London, when will the flight lands at London Airport.
4. A. If today is Wednesday, what day of the week will it be 115 days from now?
B. What day of the week was it 32 days ago?

5. In 2015, Halloween (Oct 31) fell on a Saturday, on what day of the week will it fall on 2025?

6.If it is 7pm now, what time was it 62 hours ago?