Lesson 2.

6
PROBLEM
SOLVING
Consider the following problems. How do we solve them?
1. Joe and John are planning to paint a house together. John
thinks that if he worked alone, it would take him 3 times as
long as it would take Joe to paint the entire house. Working
together, they can complete the job in 24 hours. How long
would it take each of them, working alone, to complete the
job?
2. One inlet pipe can fill an empty pool in 8 hours, and a
drain can empty the pool in 12 hours. How long will it take
the pipe to fill the pool if the drain is left open.
3. Greg went to a conference in a city 120 miles away. On the
way back, due to road construction he had to drive 10mph
slower which resulted in the return trip taking 2 hours
longer. How fast did he drive on the way to the conference?
Just like any other word problem, we
first start by using a variable to
represent the unknown. Next,
formulate an equation based on the
relationship between or among the
quantities involve in the problem.
Solve the equation then answer the
question asked in the problem.
Study the solution below.
1. Joe and John are planning to paint a house
together. John thinks that if he worked alone, it
would take him 3 times as long as it would take Joe
to paint the entire house. Working together, they
can complete the job in 24 hours. How long would it
take each of them, working alone, to complete the
job?
Let x be the number of hours it would take Joe to
paint the house alone.
3x be the number of hours it would take John
to paint the house alone.
 Equation: One part of the work
of Joe plus one part of the work of
John equals one part of working
together.

Solve the equation.

Multiply the 24x
equation by the  

24 + 8 = x
least common
32 = x
denominator.
Use the distributive
Property
Combine similar
terms
Answer the question. It
would take Joe 32 hours
while 96 hours for John to
complete the job.
 
2. One inlet pipe can fill an empty pool
in 8 hours, and a drain can empty the
pool in 12 hours. How long will it take
the pipe to fill the pool if the drain is
left open.
Let x be the number of hours to fill
the pool if the drain is left open.
Equation: part of the pool to be filled
by the pipe minus part of the pool to
be emptied by the drain = part of the
pool to be filled when the drain is left
open.

Solve the equation.

Multiply the 24x
equation by the  

3x - 2x = 24
least common
x = 24
denominator.
Use the distributive
Property
Combine similar
terms
Answer the question: It
will take the pipe 24
hours to fill the pool
when the drain is left
open.
3. Greg went to a conference in a city 120
miles away. On the way back, due to road
construction he had to drive 10mph
slower which resulted in the return trip
taking 2 hours longer. How fast did he
drive on the way to the conference?
Let x be the speed on the way to the
conference.
Equation: distance = speed x time d = st
The distances travelled in going to the
conference and way back home are just the
same but on his way back the speed becomes
slower by 10mph and the time becomes longer.
If we take a look at the formula, we can derive
the formula t =
To make the two quantities equal, we have to subtract
two hours from the time in going to the conference or
add two hours to the time on way back. Whichever from
the two equations can be used.
 
Solve the equation.

Time in going to the Time on way back

conference
Multiply the equation by the
least common denominator.
Use the distributive Property
 Combine similar terms then
rearrange the terms
 Divide the equation by 2
Factor
Equate each factor to zero.
120(x-10) – 2x(x-10) = 120x
120x – 1200 – 2x2 + 20x = 120x
2x2 – 20x + 1200 = 0
x2 – 10x +120 = 0
(x – 12)(x + 10) = 0
x – 12 = 0 x + 10 = 0
x = 12 x = -10
Answer the question:
He drove 12mph on his
way to the conference.
 Practice Exercises:
Answer exercises XIII
on page 23 of the
workbook
Performance Task #4:
Problem Solving
Please refer to the
workbook on page 24.