Maths Word Problems and Solutions Problem 1 In one store in the afternoon sold twice more pears, than

in the morning. During the whole day they sold 360 kg. pears. How many kilograms of pears are sold in the morning and how many in the afternoon? Solution: Lets take that the sold in the morning pears are x kg, then in the afternoon are sold 2x kg. Their sum x + 2x = 3x kg is the whole quantity sold pears, 360 kg. So we get the following equation 3x = 360 <=> x = 360/3 <=> x = 120 Therefore in the morning they sold 120 kg pears, and in the afternoon 2.120 = 240 kg. Problem 2 Ivan gathered twice more chestnuts than Peter and Boris gathered 2kg. more than Peter. Together they gathered 26 kg. chestnuts. How many kilogrammes gathered each one of them? Solution: Lets take Peters chestnuts as x kg., then Ivan gathered 2x kg. and Boris (x +2) kg . All gathered chestnuts are: x + 2x +x +2 = 4x +2 and by condition they are 26 kg. We get the equation: 4x +2 = 26 <=> 4x = 24 <=> x = 6 Therefore Peter gathered 6 kg., Ivan 2.6 = 12kg, Boris 6 +2 = 8 kg chestnuts. Problem 3 Kamen read 2/3 of a book and calculated that the read part is with 90 pages more than the unread. How many pages is the whole book? Solution: Lets take the whole book as x pages .The part he read is 2/3 from x , i.e. 2/3. x We will get the unread part when from the whole book we subtract the read part, i.e. x - 2/3 . x = 3/3x - 2/3x = 1/3x The read part 2/3x is with 90 pages more than the unread one, which is 1/3x Therefore 2/3x 1/3x = 90 <=> 1/3x =90 <=> x = 90.3 = 270 So the book is 270 pages. Problem 4 One tract can be ploughed with 6 tractors for 4 days, if they plough 120hectares a day. Two of the tractors were moved to another tract. The rest 4 ploughed the same tract for 5 days. How many decares average a day ploughed the 4 tractors? Solution: If 6 tractors ploughed 120 hectares a day and finished the tract for 4 days, then the whole tract is: 120.6.4 = 720.4 = 2880 hectaresLets take that every one of the four tractors for the 5 days ploughed x hectares. Therefore the finished work: 5.4. x = 20. x hectares and this is the whole tract 2880 hectares So we get 20x = 2880 <=> x = 2880/20 = 144 decares a day ploughed every on of the four tractor-drivers.

Problem 5 One student thought of a number, multiplied it by 2. From the received product subtracted 138 and got 102 . Which is the number the student thought of? Solution: Lets take the thought number as x, when he multiplied it with 2 he got (2x); from which he subtracted 138 i.e. 2. x - 138 and by condition received 102 <=> 2. x -138 = 102 We must solve this equation to find the thought number 2. x -138 = 102 <=> 2x = 240 <=> x = 240/2 <=> x = 120 Problem 6 I thought of a number, divided it by 5 , from the received quotient i subtracted 154 and got 6. Which is the number i thought of? Instruction: The thought number is x and the equation: x/5 -154 = 6 Solve the equation by yourself. Answer x = 800 Problem 7 The distance between two towns is 380km. A car and a lorry started from the two towns at the same time. At what speed drove the two vehicles, if the speed of the car is with 5km/h faster than the speed of the lorry and we know that they met after 4 hours? Solution: The basic dependence that is used in problems with movement is that the distance is equal to the speed multiplied by the time S = V.t V km./h. x+5 X t h. 4 4 S km. 4(x +5) 4x

Car Lorry

4(x + 5) + 4x = 380 <=> 4x + 4x = 380 - 20 <=> 8x = 360 <=> x = 360/8 <=> x = 45 Therefore the lorry was driving with 45 km/h., and the car with 50 km/h. Problem 8 One of the sides of a rectangle is with 3sm. shorter than the other one. Find the sides of the rectangle if we know that, if we increase every side with 1sm., the surface of the rectangle will be increased with 18sm. 2 Solution: Lets take that one of the sides is x cm. (x > 3), then the other will be x 3 . For the surface we find S1 = x(x - 3) cm.2. If we increase the proportions with 1sm. the sides will be (x + 1) cm. and (x - 3 + 1 ) = (x - 2) cm. and these are the new proportions of the rectangle so the surface is S 2 = (x + 1). (x - 2) cm.2 and by condition it is with 18 cm.2bigger than the first one. Therefore we get the following equation : S1 +18 = S2 <=> x(x - 3) + 18 = (x + 1)(x - 2) <=> x2 - 3x + 18 = x2 + x 2x - 2 <=> 2x = 20 <=> x = 10 And so the sides of the rectangle are 10 cm. and (10 - 3) = 7sm.

Problem 9 For one year from two cows were milked 8100l.. The next year the first cow increased her yield of milk with 15% and the second one with 10%. So they milked 9100 l. from the two cows. How many litres are milked from every cow during the first and the second year? Solution: If during the first year the first cow gave x l., then the second one gave (8100 x) l. The increase in the yield of milk is 15% of x, i.e. 15/100 .x and 10% of (8100 x), i.e. 10/100 . (8100 x) . Then during the second year the two cows gave the amount milk from the first year + the increase of the second year So we get the following equation: 8100 + 15/100.x + 10/100 . (8100 x) = 9100 Therefore 8100 + 3/20x + 1/10 (8100 x) = 9100 <=> 1/20 . x = 190 <=> x = 3800 And so for the first year the milked 3800 and 4300 l. from every cow and for the second year 4370 l and 4730 l. Problem 10 The distance between stations A and B is 148 km. From station A to station B leaves an express train which proceeds with 80 km/h and at the same time from station B towards station A leaves a goods train with 36 km/h. We know that before the two trains meet at station C the express train made a 10min and the goods train - 5min. Find: ) The distance between station C and station B b) At what time the goods train left station B if the meeting with the express train at station C was at 12 oclock. Solution a) We mark the distance from station B to station C with x km. Then the distance from station C to station A is (148 x)km. By the time of the meeting at station C the express train ran (148 x)/80 + 10/60 hours and the goods train x/36 +5/60 .Because the trains left at the same time these times are equal : (148 x)/80 + 1/6 = x/36 + 1/12 We reduce to a common denominator, which for 6, 12, 36, 80 is 720 We release from denominator and we get: 9(148 x) +120 = 20x +60 <=> 1332 9x + 120 = 20x + 60 <=> 29x = 1392 <=> x = 48 Therefore the distance from station B to station C is 48 km. b) By the time of meeting at station C the goods train ran 48/36 + 5/60 hours, i.e. 1 hour and 25 min. Therefore he left station B in 12 - 1.25/60 = 10.35/60 oclock, i.e. in 10 h. and 35min. Problem 11 A motorman should have taken a distance from town A to town B for exact time. Two hours after he left, he noticed that he covered 80 km and if he keeps that speed he will arrive in B with 15 min delay. So he increased the speed with 10km/h and arrived in town B 36 minutes earlier. Find:

) The distance between the two towns; b) The exact time that the motorman should have taken the distance from A to B Solution: We mark the distance from A to B with x km. Because the motorman took 80km for 2 hours his speed is V = 80/2 = 40 km/h. With that speed he would have taken the whole distance for x/40 h, delaying with 15min, i.e. the exact time is x/40 15/60 h. The rest of the distance (x - 80) km. he took with V = 40 + 10 = 50 / So the time he took the distance from A to B, is 2 +(x - 80)/50 h. and it is with 36 min. earlier than expected. Therefore the expected time is 2 + (x -80)/50 + 36/60 When we equalize the expressions for the expected time, we get the equation : x/40 15/60 = 2 + (x -80)/50 + 36/60 <=> (x - 10)/40 = (100 + x - 80 + 30)/50 <=> (x - 10)/4 = (x +50)/5 <=> 5x - 50 = 4x + 200 <=> x = 250 So the searched distance is 250 km. The exact time we will find by substituting x with 250 in of the sides of the first equation, for example; x/40 15/60 = 250/40 1/4 = 25/4 1/4 = 24/4 = 6 hours Problem 12 To be able to make one order for pieces in time a team should make 25 pieces a day. After 3 days the team increased the productivity with 5 pieces and made 100 pieces over the plan for the exact time. Fine how many details the team made and for how many days? Solution: Lets take the days the team worked as x . Then 25.x are the pieces that they should have made. With the new rate they made: 1.25 + (x - 3)(25 + 5) = 75 + 30.(x - 3) and they are with 100 more than expected. Then: 25. x = 75 + 30(x -3) 100 o 25x = 75 +30x -90 100 <=> 190 -75 = 30x -25 <=> 115 = 5x <=> x = 23 So the days are 23 and the made pieces are 23.25 = 575 Problem 13 There are 24 students in 7a class. During a youth brigade they planted a total of 24 birches and roses where every girl planted 3 roses each and every three boys planted 1birch. Find how many birches and roses are planted from the students of 7a? Solution: Lets take the number of planted roses as x , then the birches are (24 x) . If every girl planted 3 roses each the number of girls is x/3 . From the fact that 3 boys planted one birch follows that the boys are 3(24 - x). The total number of students in this class is 24, i.e. x/3 + 3(24 x) = 24 <=> x + 9(24 x) = 3.24 <=> x +216 9x = 72 <=> 216 72 = 8x <=> 144/8 = x <=> x = 18 Therefore the planted roses are 18 and the birches are 24 x = 24 - 18 = 6.

Problem 14 From town A went a car, by exact road, to town B at speed V = 32/. After 3 hours from the departure the driver made a 15min stop in town C. Because of some damage on the road he changed the road to town B with another one, which was with 28km. longer than the exact one and he went at V = 40km/h. If the car has arrived with 30min delay in town B, find: a) The distance the car has covered b) The time that took the driver to get from C to B Solution: From the condition of the problem we dont know if the 15min stop in town C is expected or it is made because of the road damage. So we will observe both cases. 1st case . If the stop is expected and when he went directly to B. For both cases we will observe only the movement from C to B. The real movement (by the longer road) we will take as x h. Then the covered distance from C to B is S = 40.x . The time from C to B if taking the exact road is x - 30/60 = x - 1/2h.The distance that he should have covered from C to B if there was no road damage is (x - 1/2).32km, which is with 28 km.shorter than 40.x km. So the equation we get is (x - 1/2).32 +28 = 40x <=> 32x -16 +28 = 40x <=> 8x = 12 <=> x = 12/8 x = 1.4/12 = 1.20/60 = 1h.20min. So the car took the distance from C to B for 1hour and 20 min. And the covered distance from A to B is 3.32 + 12/8.40 = 96 + 60 = 156 km. II solution Lets take that the 15min stop is done only in the real case, i.e. because of the necessary taking of the longer road. Lets again the movement which practically is made from C to B, is for x . Then the distance is again S = 40.x .The exact movement from C to B the time is x - 30/60 - 15/60 = x -45/60 = x - 3/4 h. The exact distance from C to B is 32(x - 3/4)km. and it is 28 km. shorter than 40.x, i.e. 32(x - 3/4) + 28 = 40x <=> 32x - 24 +28 = 40x <=> 4 = 8x <=> x = 1/2. x = 30 min. Then the time for real movement from C to B is 30min. The covered distance is 3.32 + 1/2.40 = 96 + 20 = 116 km. Problem 15 To be able to plough a tract in time must plough 120hectaresa day. For technical reasons he ploughed 85hectares a day, because of that he ploughed 2 days more than the exact time and 40hectares left to be ploughed. Find how many decares is the whole tract and how many days was the exact time to be ploughed? Solution: Lets take the days the tract should have been ploughed as x Then the whole tract is 12.x hectares If taking the real ploughing the time is x + 2 or 85 hectaresa day, therefore it was ploughed 85(x + 2), which is with 40 hectares less than the whole tract. The equation is: 120. x = 85(x + 2) + 40 <=> 35x = 210 <=> x = 6 So the days the tract should have been ploughed are 6 and the tract is 120.6 = 720 hectares

Problem 16 For 24 days a turner makes exact quantity of pieces. By increasing his daily production with 5 pieces he worked 22 days and made 80 pieces over the exact quantity. Find the daily production and how many pieces should have made? Solution: Lers x pieces is his daily production. For 24 days he will make 24.x pieces. His new production is x + 5 pieces and for 22 days he will make 22.(x + 5) details, which are with 80 more than 24x. Then the equation is: 24. x + 80 = 22.(x +5) <=> 30 = 2x <=> x = 15 His daily production is 15 pieces and totally he should have made 15.24 = 360 pieces. Problem 17 A motorman took half of the distance between two towns for 2h.30min. and after that he increased his speed with 2km/h.He took the second part of the distance for 2h.20min. Find the distance between the two towns and the original speed of the motorman? Solution: If on the first half of the distance the speed is x km/h, in the second one it will be x + 2 km/h.The distances taken with speed 2.30/60.x km and 2.20/60.(x + 2)km and by condition they are equal. From the equation: 2.30/60.x = 2.20/60.(x +2) we get x = 28km/h For the distance between the two towns we find 2.2.20/60.28 = 140 km. Problem 18 A train , after taking half of the distance between two stations A and B with 48km/h, made a 15min stop. After that he increased his speed with 5/3 m/sec. and arrived on time in station B. Find the distance between the two stations and the speed of the train after the stop? Solution: First we will determine the speed of the train after the stop. The incensement of 5/3m/sec = 5.60.60/3.1000 km/h = 6km/h Then the new speed is 48 + 6 = 54 km/h. If the first half of the distance is taken for x hours, the second one for x 15/60 = x - 0,25 Then the equation is: 48. x = 54.( x - 0,25), from where x = 13,5 h. The searched distance is determined from 2.48.13,5 = 216,69 km. Problem 19 A worker can finish exact work for 15 days, other worker can finish only 75% of that work for the same time. At first the second worker worked several days and then the first one joined him and together they finished the rest of the work for 6 days. Find how many days worked every worker and what percent of the work has done each one of them? Solution: First we will find the daily production of every worker. If we take the whole work as unit(1), the production of the first one is 1/15 and the production of

the second is 75% of 1/15 ,i.e. 75/100.1/15 = 1/20 Lets take that the second worker worked alone x days. Then the work he finished will be x/20. For the 6 days work done in common they finished 6.(1/15 +1/20) = 6.7/20 = 7/10 The sum of x/20 and 7/10 gives the whole work , i.e. 1. So we get the equation: x/20 +7/10 = 1 <=> x = 6 The second worker worked 6 +6 = 12 days and the first one only 6 days. The work finished from the second worker is 12.1/20 = 60/100 = 60%, and from the first one 6.1/15 = 40/100 = 40% Problem 20 Tractor-drivers planned to plough one tract by ploughing 120hectaresa day. After the first two days they increased the daily production with 25% and that is why they finished two days before the exact day. Find: ) How many decares is the whole tract? b) How many days took to plough the whole tract? c) How many days would have taken to plough to whole tract if following the exact plan? Solution: First of all we will find the new daily production of the tractor-drivers in decares.: 25% of 120 decares are 25/100.120 = 30 dec, therefore 120 + 30 = 150 hectares is the new daily production. Lets take the initial needed time for ploughing as x days. Then the tract is 120.x hectares The same tract can be found when to 120.2dec is added 150.(x -4)hectares Then the equation is 120x = 120.2 + 150.(x -4) <=> x = 12 So 12 days were needed if following the plan but actually the tract was ploughed for 12 -2 =10 days. The tract is 120.12 = 1440 hectares Problem 21 To cut down a tract of grass in exact time, a team of mowers should plough 15hectares daily. The first 4 days they worked like this and then increased the daily production with 33.1/3%.They finished the work 1 day earlier. Find: A) how many deares is the whole tract? B) How many days took to cut the whole tract? C) How many days would have taken to cut the whole tract if following the exact plan? Instruction: The incensement of the daily production is 33 1/3% = 100/3%15 or (100/3.100).15 = 5 dec The new daily production is 15 +5 = 20 dec . See problem 20 and solve by yourself Answer: A) 120 dec B) 7 days C) 8 days Problem 22 A train should have taken the distance from A to B according to the schedule for exact time. If the train leaves station A and proceeds with 75km/h he will arrive in station B 48 minutes earlier. If he proceeds with 50km/h for this time he will arrive 40km prior to station B. Find: A) the distance between the two stations;

)The time the train takes the distance according to the schedule; B) the needed speed to keep to the schedule; Solution: Lets take the time for movement from A to B as x hours. Then the distance from A to B can be found in two ways. First 75(x - 48/60)km., and second, 50x + 40 km. So we get the equation: 75(x - 48/60) = 50x + 40 <=> x = 4 is the time by schedule. The distance between the two stations is 50.4 +40 = 240 km. Then the speed he needs to keep to the schedule is 240/4 = 60 km/h Problem 23 From two towns A and B, with distance 300km between them, at the same time left two trains. We know that the speed of one of the trains is with 10km/h faster than the speed of the other one. Find the speed of the two trains if 2 hours after their departure the distance between them is 40km. Solution: Lets take the speed of the slower train as x km/h.The speed of the other will be x + 10 km/h. After 2 hours they will cross 2x km and 2 9x +10) km.Then the whole distance from A to B is 2x + 2(x +10) +40 = 4x +60 km, if the trains hasnt already met or 2x +2( x +10) -40 = 4x -20 km, if they have met. So we get the following two equations: 4x + 60 = 300 <=> 4x = 240 <=> x = 60 or 4x 20 = 300 <=> 4x = 320 <=> x = 80 So the speed of the slower train is 60 km/h or 80 km/h and the speed of the other one is 70 km/h or 90 km/h Problem 24 A bus takes the distance between two towns A and B for exact time. If the bus goes with 50km/h he will arrive in B with 42min delay and if he increases his speed with 5.5/9 m/sec., he will arrive in B 30min before the exact time. Find: A) the distance between the two towns; B) the exact time for the bus to take the distance; C) the speed of the bus(by schedule) for the exact time. Solution: First we will determine the new speed of the bus. The incensement is 5.5/9 m/sec. = 50/9 m/sec = 50.60.60/9.1000 km/h = 20 km/h Therefore the new speed is V = 50 +20 = 70 km/h If by schedule the time for movement is x hours, at speed 50 km/h he moved from A to B for x +42/60 h, when V = 70km/h for x 30/60h Then 50(x +42/60) = 70(x -30/60) <=> 5(x +7/10) = 7(x -1/2) <=> 7/2 +7/2 = 7x -5x <=> 2x = 7 <=> x = 7/2 So the time by schedule is 3h.30min. The distance from A to B is 70(7/2 -1/2) = 70.3 = 210 km and the speed by schedule 210/(7/2) = 60km/h.

Age Problem 1 Bob is currently twice as old as Steve. Twenty years ago Bob was 6 times as old as Steve. What are their current ages? For a non-algebraic approach: If Steves current age was 20 then 20 years ago he would be zero, so he has to be at least 21 years old. This would make Bob 42 and Steve 21. 20 years ago they would be 22 and 1, which is 22 times as old and not 6 times. Were not that far off though. So go up by increments. Try Steve at 22 and Bob 44-- 20 years ago would be 2 and 24 which is 12 times-- at 23 and 46 we can see than 20 years ago they would be 3 and 26 which is over 8 times were close-- and at 24 and 48 20 years ago would make 4 and 28 which is 7 times and really close.. at 25 and 50 20 years ago we would have 5 and 30 which IS 6 times older and what were looking for. So, Steve is 25 and Bob is 50... For the algebraic approach we know that if something is twice as old, big, fast, etc as something else it is 2x more than x. So in this problem Bob is 2x as old as x Steve is. Twenty years ago would be : 2x - 20 for Bob and x - 20 for Steve but, 20 years ago Bob was 6 times older so 2x - 20 = 6(x - 20) 2x - 20 = 6x - 120 4x = 100 x = 100/4 x = 25 So x or Steve is 25 and Bob is twice or 2(25): 50 years old.

Age Problem 2 Jason is 4 times older than Bob at present. 8 years ago Jason was 12 times older. How old are Jason & Bob? Here's a non-algebraic approach to the problem: If Bobs current age were 8 then 8 years ago he would be zero, so he has to be older than 8 or at least 9 years now. So assume 9 and 36 -- 8 years ago would make 1 and 28 which is 28 times and not what were looking for.. 10 and 40 ---- 8 years ago would make 2 and 32 which is 16 times not what were looking for... try 11 and 44-- 8 years ago would make 3 and 36-- bingo 12 times- So, Jason is 44 and Bob is 11 years old. Algebraically we have: x for Bobs age and 4x for Jason So 4x = x But 8 years ago Jason was 12 times older so 4x - 8 = 12(x-8) 4x - 8 = 12x - 96 88 = 8x x = 11 So Bob is currently 11 years old and Jason is 4(11) or 44 years old. Age Problem 3 Greg's father is 30 years older than Greg. In 15 years the sum of their ages will be 130. What are their current ages? Greg will be x and Greg's father will be x + 30. In 15 years Greg will be x + 15 and Greg's father will be x + 30 + 15 or x + 45, and the sum of their ages will be 130. So,

x + 15 + x + 45 = 130 2x + 60 = 130 2x = 130 - 60 2x = 70 x = 70/2 x = 35 which is Greg's current age. Greg's father is 35 + 30 or 65 years old. Just to check add 15 years or 30 total to their ages. 35 + 65 + 30 = 130 Age Problem 4 In this algebra age word problem we have "A man is 27 years older than his son and 10 years from now, he will be twice as old as his son. how old is each now?" This was a question asked by a visitor on the "Algebra Word Problem Help" post. This is the solution to the algebra age problem # 4... "A man is 27 years older than his son and 10 years from now, he will be twice as old as his son. how old is each now?" Let x = the son and x + 27 = the man(father) in 10 years the son will be x + 10 and the father x + 27 + 10 or x + 37 years old. So if he will be twice as old as his son then "twice" the sons age then will "equal" each other. So, 2(x+10) = x + 37 multiply by 2 on the left side 2x + 20 = x + 37 x = 17 This makes sense since 10 + 17 = 27 and 17 + 37 = 54 which is twice the sons age 10 years from now. So the son is 17 and the father is 17 + 27 or 44 years old.

Age Problem 5 This is a new age algebra word problem that was asked by a anonymous visitor which read, "Pol is 10 years younger than Greg. In 7 years, he will be 10 years more than one half as old as Greg. Find their age at present. Help me solve it." This is the algebra age word problem that read Pol is 10 years younger than greg. In 7 years, he will be 10 years more than one halfas old as greg. Find their age at present. help me solve it. Let Greg be X and Pol be X - 10 as far as current ages. In 7 years (thats x + 7) he will be 10 years more than 1/2 as old as greg (thats (x - 10 + 10)/2 or x/2). So set them equal.. X and x -10 x + 7 and x - 10 + 7 28 and 25 (x+7)/2 + 10 = x - 3 x + 17 = 2x - 6 x =23 So Pol is 23 and Greg is 33

Age Problem 6 This is a Algebra age word problem question that was asked by a anonymous guest which asked, "Bob is one third the age of his father. In 12 years he will be half the age of his father. How old is each now?" This is the answer to the age algebra word problem that asked, "Bob is one third the age of his father. In 12 years he will be half the age of his father. How old is each now?" Ok Bob being 1/3 the age of his father is the same thing as saying the father is 3 times as old as him. It makes it easier to work with. So let Bob be x and his father be 3x. And in 12 years bob will be half as old as his father. So we have.. x + 12 = (3x + 12) / 2 2x + 24 = 3x + 12

x = 12 So Bob is 12 years old and his father is 3(12) or 36 years old now. In 12 years Bob will be 12 + 12 or 24 years old and his father will be 36 + 12 or 48 years old which means Bob will be half as old so it checks out. WORD PROBLEMS THAT LEAD TO SIMULTANEOUS EQUATIONS Section 1: Examples HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES of problems that lead to simultaneous equations. Example 1. Andre has more money than Bob. If Andre gave Bob $20, they would have the same amount. While if Bob gave Andre $22, Andre would then have twice as much as Bob. How much does each one actually have? Solution. Let x be the amount of money that Andre has. Let y be the amountthat Bob has. Always let x and y answer the question -- and be perfectly clear about what they represent! Now there are two unknowns. Therefore there must be two equations. (In general, the number of equations must equal the number of unknowns.) How can we get two equations out of the given information? We must translate each verbal sentence into the language of algebra. Here is the first sentence: "If Andre gave Bob $20, they would have the same amount." Algebraically: 1) x 20 = y + 20. (Andre -- x -- has the same amount as Bob, after he gives him $20.) Here is the second sentence: "While if Bob gave Andre $22, Andre would then have twice as much as Bob." Algebraically: 2) x + 22 = 2(y 22). (Andre has twice as much as Bob -- after Bob gives him $22.)

To solve any system of two equations, we must reduce it to one equation in one of the unknowns. In this example, we can solveequation 1) for x -x 20= y + 20 implies x = y + 40

-- and substitute it into equation 2): y + 40 + 22= 2(y 22). That is, y + 62= 2y 44, y 2y = 44 62, according to the techniques of Lesson 9, y = 106 y = 106. Bob has $106. Therefore, according to the exression for x, Andre has 106 + 40 = $146. Example 2. 1000 tickets were sold. Adult tickets cost $8.50, children's cost $4.50, and a total of $7300 was collected. How many tickets of each kind were sold? Solution. Let x be the number of adult tickets. Let y be the number of children's tickets. Again, we have let x and y answer the question. And again we must get two equations out of the given information. Here they are: 100 1) Total number of tickets: x+ y= 0 2) Total money collected: 8.5 4.5 730 + = x y 0

In equation 2), we will make the coefficients into whole numbers by multiplying both sides of the equation by 10: 1) x + y = 1000 2') 85 45 73,00 + = x y 0

We call the second equation 2' ("2 prime") to show that we obtained it from equation 2). These simultaneous equations are solved in the usual way. The solutions are: x = 700, y = 300

To see the answer, pass your mouse over the colored area. To cover the answer again, click "Refresh" ("Reload"). Do the problem yourself first!

Example 3. Mrs. B. invested $30,000; part at 5%, and part at 8%. The total interest on the investment was $2,100. How much did she invest at each rate? Solution. 1) Total investment: x+ y= 30,00 0

2) Total interest

. . + 08= 2,100 05x y

(To change a percent to a decimal, see Skill in Arithmetic, Lesson 4.) Again, in equation 2) let us make the coefficients whole numbers by multiplying both sides of the equation by 100: 1) x + y = 30,000 2') 5x + 8 210,00 = y 0

These are the simultaneous equations to solve. The solutions are: x = $10,000, y = $20,000.

Problem. Samantha has 30 coins, consisting of quarters and dimes, which total $5.70. How many of each does she have? To see the answer, pass your mouse from left to right over the colored area. To cover the answer again, click "Refresh" ("Reload"). Do the problem yourself first! Problem 1. A woman is now 30 years older than her son. 15 years ago, she was twice as old. What are the present ages of the woman and her son? To see the answer, pass your mouse over the colored area. To cover the answer again, click "Refresh" ("Reload"). Do the problem yourself first! Let x be the present age of the woman. Let y be the present age of her son. Here are the equations: 1) Present age of the woman x = y + 30.

in relation to her son: 2) 15 years ago: x 2(y = 15 15).

To eliminate x, simply substitute equation 1) in equation 2), and solve for y. You should find: y = 45 years. Therefore x, the age of the woman, is 75 years. Problem 2. A total of 925 tickets were sold for $5,925. If adult tickets cost $7.50, and children's tickets cost $3.00, how many tickets of each kind were sold? (Compare Example 2.) Let x be the number of adult tickets. Let y be the number of childeren's tickets. Here are the equations: Total number of 1) x + y = 925 tickets: Total money 7.5 3 5,92 2) + = collected: x y 5 In equation 2), make the coefficients into whole numbers by multiplying both sides of the equation by 10: 1) x + y = 925 75 30 59,25 2') + = x y 0 To eliminate y, for example: Multiply equation 1) by 30, and add. The solution is: x = 700, y = 225. Problem 3. Mr. B. has $20,000 to invest. He invests part at 6%, the rest at 7%, and he earns $1,280 interest. How much did he invest at each rate? (Compare Example 3.) Let x be how much he inveted at 6%. Let y be how much he inveted at 7%. Here are the equations: Total 20,00 1) x+ y= investment: 0 . . Total 2) 06+ 07= 1,280 interest: x y 128,0 2') 6x + 7y = 00 To eliminate x, for example, from equations 1) and 2'): ,Multiply equation 1) by 6, and add.

The solution is: x = $12,000. y = $8,000. Problem 4. Edgar has 20 dimes and nickels, which together total $1.40. How many of each does he have? (Compare the Problem in Section 1.) Let x be the number of dimes. Let y be be the number of nickels. Here are the equations: Total number of 1) x+ y = 20 coins: . . 1.4 2) Total value: 10+ 05= 0 x y 10 2') + 5y = 140 x To eliminate x, for example, from equations 1) and 2'), multiply equation 1) by 10, and add. The solution is: x = 8 dimes. y = 12 nickels. Problem 5. How many gallons of 20% alcohol solution and how many of 50% alcohol solution must be mixed to produce 9 gallons of 30% alcohol solution? (Compare Example 4.) (9 gallons of 30% alcohol solution = .3 9 = 2.7 gallons of pure alcohol.) Let x be the number of gallons of 20% solution. Let y be the number of gallons of 50% solution. Here are the equations: Total number of 1) x+ y= 9 gallons: Total gallons of pure . . 2) + = 2.7 alcohol: 2x 5y 2') 2x + 5y = 27 To eliminate x, for example, from equations 1) and 2'), multiply equation 1) by 2, and add. The solution is: x = 6 gallons. y = 3 gallons. Problem 6. 15 gallons of 16% disenfectant solution is to be made from 20% and 14% solutions. How much of those solutions should be used? (15 gallons of 16% solution = .16 15 = 2.4 gallons of pure disenfectant.) Let x be the number of gallons of 20% solution. number of gallons of 14% solution. Here are the equations: 1) Total number of gallons: x+ y = 15 Let y be the

2) 2')

Total gallons of pure disenfectant:

. . 20+ 14= 2.4 x y 20 14 24 + = x y 0

To eliminate x, for example, from equations 1) and 2'), multiply equation 1) by 20, and add. The solution is: x = 5 gallons. y = 10 gallons. Problem 7. It takes a boat 2 hours to travel 24 miles downstream and 3 hours to travel 18 miles upstream. What is the speed of the boat in still water, and how fast is the current? (Compare Example 6.) Let x be the speed of the boat in still water. speed of the current. Here are the equations: 2 Downstream 1) x + y = 4 = 12 speed: 2 1 Upstream 2) x y= 8 = 6 speed: 3 To eliminate y, simply add the equations. The solution is: x = 9 mph. y = 3 mph. Problem 8. An airplane covers a distance of 1500 miles in 3 hours 1 when it flies with the wind, hours when it flies and in 3 against the 3 wind. What is the speed of the plane in still air? (Compare Example 6.) Let x be the speed of the plane in still air. Let y be the speed of the wind. Here are the equations: 1500 1) Speed with the wind: x+ y= = 500 3 2) Speed against the wind : x y = To eliminate y, simply add the equations. The solution is: x = 475 mph. Let y be the

Number" Word Problems

"Number" word problems are fairly contrived, but they're also fairly standard, so you should learn how to handle them. After all, the point of these problems isn't their relation to "real life", but your ability to extract the math from the English. The sum of two consecutive integers is 15. Find the numbers. They've given me two pieces of information here. First, I know that I am adding two numbers, and their sum is fifteen. Second, I know that the numbers are nice neat round numbers (like 3 or 6), not messy ones (like 4.628 or 17/32), and that the second number is one more than the first. This last piece of information comes from the fact that "consecutive integers" (or "consecutive whole numbers", if they're restricting the possibilities to only positive numbers) are one unit apart. Examples of "consecutive integers" would be 12 and 11, 1 and 2, and 99 and 100. Using these facts, I can set up the translation. I will represent the first number by "n". Then the second number has to be "n + 1". Their sum is then: n + (n + 1) = 15 2n + 1 = 15 2n = 14 n = 7 Copyright Elizabeth Stapel 2000-2011 All Rights Reserved The exercise did not ask me for the value of the variable n; it asked for the identity of two numbers. So my answer is not "n = 7"; the actual answer is: "The numbers are 7 and 8."

The product of two consecutive negative even integers is 24. Find the numbers. They have told me quite a bit about these two numbers: the numbers are even and they are negative. (The fact that they are negative may help if I come up with two solutions a positive and a negative so I'll know which one to pick.) Since even numbers are two apart (for example,4 and 2 or 10 and 12), then I also know that the second number is two greater than the first. I also know that, when I multiply the two numbers, I will get 24. In other words, letting the first number be "n" and the second number be "n + 2", I have: (n)(n + 2) = 24 n2 + 2n = 24 n2 + 2n 24 = 0 (n + 6)(n 4) = 0 Then the solutions are n = 6 and n = 4. Since the numbers I am looking for are negative, I can ignore the "4" and take n = 6. Then the next number is n + 2 = 4, and the answer is The numbers are 6 and 4.

In the exercise above, one of the answers was one of the solutions to the equation; the other answer was the negative of the other solution to the equation. Warning: Do not assume that you can use both solutions if you just change the signs to be whatever you feel like. While this often "works", it does notalways work, and it's sure to annoy your teacher. Throw out invalid results, and solve properly for valid ones.

Twice the larger of two numbers is three more than five times the smaller, and the sum of four times the larger and three times the smaller is 71. What are the numbers?

The point of exercises like this is to give you practice in unwrapping and unwinding these words, and turning the words into algebraic equations. The point is in the solving, not in the relative "reality" of the problem. That said, how do you solve this? The best first step is to start labelling: the larger number: x the smaller number: y twice the larger: 2x three more than five times the smaller: 5y + 3 relationship between ("is"): 2x = 5y + 3 four times the larger: 4x three times the smaller: 3y relationship between ("sum of"): 4x + 3y = 71 Now I have two equations in two variables: 2x = 5y + 3 4x + 3y = 71 I will solve, say, the first equation for x: x = (5/2)y + (3/2) Then I'll plug the right-hand side of this into the second equation in place of the "x": 4[ (5/2)y + (3/2) ] + 3y = 71 10y + 6 + 3y = 71 13y + 6 = 71 13y = 65 y = 65/13 = 5 Now that I have the value for y, I can solve for x: x = (5/2)y + (3/2) x = (5/2)(5) + (3/2)

x = (25/2) + (3/2) x = 28/2 = 14 As always, I need to remember to answer the question that was actually asked. The solution here is not "x = 14", but is the following sentence: The larger number is 14, and the smaller number is 5. The trick to doing this type of problem is to label everything very explicitly. Until you become used to doing these, do not attempt to keep track of things in your head. Do as I did in this last example: clearly label every single step. When you do this, these problems generally work out rather easily. Ratio Word Problems In This QuickGuide: What Is a Ratio? The Basic Steps for Solving Problems Sample Ratio Problems and Solutions Sharethis with yourfriends Tweet Solving ratio word problems can be brain-twisting, but once you get the hang of the formula, any problem is easily solvable. In this guide well look at what a ratio is, and go step by step through the process of solving any ratio word problem. What is a Ratio? The ratio is a very useful notion in everyday mathematics. A ratio gives the relative sizes of two sets but not the actual numbers of objects in those sets. For example, the fact that the ratio of green marbles to red marbles in a box is 2 to 3 tells us that for every 2 green marbles there are 3 red marbles; however, it does not tell us the number of green or red marbles. The order of terms in a ratio is important. Notice that in the expression the ratio of green marbles to red marbles, green marbles came first. This order is important: whichever word comes first, its number must come first as well. If the expression had been the ratio of red marbles to green marbles, then the numbers would have been 3 to 2. The Basic Steps for Solving Problems The most common ratio problems involve a comparison between two quantities. These ratios are called two-term ratios. There are three basic steps you must do first, when working any ratio problems:

1. Changethe quantitiesto the sameunits; thenreducethe ratio to its simplest

form. For example, what is the ratio of 6 minutes to 8 hours?

First, change the hours to minutes: 8 hours = 8 60 = 480 minutes Write the ratio as a fraction and simplify:

We found that the ratio of 6 minutes to 8 hours is 1:80.

2. Writethe itemsin the ratio in fractionform. 3. Makesure that thereare the sameitemsin the numeratorand denominator.
For example, if the ratio of Olgas classical CDs to her rock CDs is 14 to 25, the right setup is this:

This setup is wrong:

Sample Ratio Problems and Solutions Now that you know those three basics, lets solve some ratio problems. SampleProblem1 In a bag of blue and yellow candies, the ratio of blue candies to yellow candies is 3:5. If the bag contains 60 yellow candies, how many blue candies are there? Step1: Let the number of blue candies be x. Next, write the items in the ratio as a fraction:

Step2: Solve the equation by cross-multiplication: 3 60 = 5x 180 = 5x Divide both sides by 5: x = 36 Solution: There are 36 blue candies in the bag. SampleProblem2 A room is 16 feet, 8 inches long, and the ratio of the length to the width is 4 to 5. What is the width of the room?

Step1: Since the length is given in both feet and inches, lets convert it to inches using the fact that 1 foot equals 12 inches. To find how many inches are in 16 feet, we multiply 16 feet by 12 inches: 16 feet, 8 inches = (16 12) + 8 = 192 + 8 = 200 We found that the length is 200 inches. Step2: Let x represent the width. We can now set up the equation:

Step3: Solve the equation by cross-multiplication: 4 200 = 5x 800 = 5x Divide both sides by 5: x = 160 inches We found that the width is 160 inches. Step4: Lets now convert inches to feet so that the units for the width are consistent with the units for the length. Since 1 foot is 12 inches, we divide 160 inches by 12 to find out how many feet are in 160 inches: 160:12 = 13, with the remainder of 4 inches. The width is 13 feet, 4 inches. Solution: The room width is 13 feet, 4 inches. SampleProblem3 A school has 300 students. If the ratio of boys to girls is 31 to 44, how many more girls are there in the school? Step1: Since we dont know the exact number of either boys or girls, we cant set up the equation right away. We assign variables first. Let x be the number of girls; then the number of boys will be 300 x, since there are 300 students overall. Step2: Now we can set up the equation by writing the number of students in the ratio as a fraction:

Solve the equation by cross-multiplication: 31x = 44(300 x) Distribute the right side:

31x = 13,200 44x Isolate the variable and collect like terms: 31x + 44x = 13,200 75x = 13,200 Divide both sides by 75: x = 176 We found that there are 176 girls. Step3: In order to find the number of boys, subtract the number of girls from the number of all students: 300 176 = 124 We found that there are 124 boys in the school. Step4: By subtracting the number of boys from the number of girls, we can find out how many more girls there are in the school: 176 124 = 52 Solution: There are 52 more girls than boys in the school. Sometimes the ratio of the objects is not given. We need to use the actual number of objects to find the ratio. For example, find the ratio of boys to girls in a class if there are 60 boys and 75 girls. Lets write the ratio in fraction form and then simplify by the common factor of 15:

So the ratio of boys to girls in class is 4:5. SampleProblem4 At a small college, the ratio of men to women is 9:4. If there are presently 720 women, how many additional women would it take to reduce the ratio of men to women to 2:1? Step1: To answer the problems question, we need to know the present number of men at the college. Let this number be x. We use the first ratio 9:4 and the present number of women to find the present number of men:

Solve the equation by cross-multiplying: 9(720) = 4x

6,480 = 4x Divide both sides by 4: x = 1,620 We found that there are presently 1,620 men at the college. Step2: To reduce the ratio to 2:1, the college needs to take in more women. Let that number of additional women be y. We use the variable y since we already used the variable x to represent the amount of men. The present number of women is 720, so the new amount of women will be 720 + y. Step3: Now, we know the present amount of men (this should not be changed) and we know the number of women (720 + y) it will take to change the ratio to the desirable ratio 2:1, so we can set up our equation:

Step4: Solve the equation by cross-multiplication: 2(720 + y) = 1,620 Distribute and isolate the variable: 1,440 + 2y = 1,620 2y = 1,620 1,440 Collect like terms: 2y = 180 Divide both sides by 2: y = 90 Solution: It would take 90 additional women to reduce the ratio of men to women to 2:1. Now that youve worked through these problems and have learned to figure out ratios, you should be able to solve any ratio word problem! For more practice problems and indepth information, check out The Complete Idiots Guide to Algebra Word Problems. Have fun!