Question 1

I am having some trouble figuring out how to make an expression out of a word problem. What is the best way for me to find the expression in a problem?

Accepted Answer

I try to teach my students to code sentences, that is write letters, operations, equals, and other things above words and see what happens.  So verbs are often equal signs, words like more than, greater, bigger, etc. write a +, words like twice (2*), three times (3*), product, etc. show multiply.  If you have a more than (+) or less than (-), the expressions flip, so 6 more than twice a number is 2x + 6.  With this, an expression or equation often become easy to write.

Question 2

My Question is 
When you have a variables and numbers together in the problem how do you know what to do or what do you do first....?

Accepted Answer

This is probably a little late but i think i can help. ( I interpreted your question like this) ex.-11b+7=40. Thats an example of an equation that I think you're talking about. So when you are solving this take everything you learned about the order of operations and throw it out the window. The first thing you are going to do is try to isolate the variable. ( This is the way that I was taught) so first you are going to reverse the operation of adding 7. So you will subtract 7 by 7 getting you to 0. And anything you do to one side you have to do to the opposite side so you will subtract 7 by 40 (40-7). So now that you have isolated the variable you should have this. . . . -11b=33. The next thing to do would be to divide -11 by-11. You would get 0 but still have the b. Then you would do the same to the other side. so you would divide (33/-11) and you should get -3. So now you should have b=-3.

Hope this helps!

Hope this helps!

Question 3

how do you know to determine an equation? Because I watched the video at least 5 times and still don't understand

Accepted Answer

In this video we are *asked for the dimensions of a rectangle* _when given the perimeter_, so the heart of the equation is the…
_*Perimeter Formula_,
P = 2W + 2L
_the sum of all the sides*, the measure of the shape's outline_. (It is expected we have this formula memorized.)

P = perimeter
W = width
L = length

P = 2W + 2L
=
P = W + W + L + L

★The word problem gives us…
*Perimeter = 60*
so let's substitute that in…
=
*60* = W + W + L + L

★We're given the hint:
_*the length is twice as long as the width*_

So…
Length = 2 • Width
=
*L = 2W*

Now we can *replace the L variables in the equation with 2W*, _which makes the equation solvable for width_.

*60 = W + W + L + L*
_substitute each L with 2W_
=
*60 = W + W + 2W + 2W*
_combine like terms_
=
*60 = 6W*
The variable is being multiplied by six, use Opposite Operation of division to isolate variable, _divide both sides by six_
=
*60/6 = 6W/6*
=
*10 = W* ←yay! 🥳 the Width

★Now we need the Length, which we already know is _two times the Width_!
L = 2 • 10
=
*L = 20* ←yay! 🥳 the Length

★Dimensions of the rectangle:
*Width = 10
Length = 20*

We can check and know these are the correct values by plugging them back into the Perimeter Formula.

_Continued in Comments_

(ㆁωㆁ) Hope this helps!

Question 4

both the length and width, in feet, of a rectangular garden are integers. If the perimeter of the garden is 24 feet, what is the greatest possible area, in square feet of the garden

Accepted Answer

For a rectangle of a given perimeter, the area is maximized by making the length and width as close together as possible.  Since 24 is divisible by 4, we can make the length and width equal even though the problem states that they have to be integers. So we can use a square with side length 24/4 = 6 feet, which then has area 6^2 = 36 square feet.  This is the maximum possible area.

Question 5

Um...   I already know how to SOLVE the equation, what I'm having trouble with is writing the equation itself. Could someone please help?

Accepted Answer

You could think about writing the equation as width plus length plus width plus length equal the perimeter. or if you use variables for width and length you could say W + L + W + L = P     and a statement in the question tells us that length is equal to 2 times the width so we can substitute for L as the value of 2 times W. this would give us W + 2W + W + 2W = P

Now if we combine like terms (all of the W's are like terms) we end up with 6W = P and the question tells us that P is equal to 60 ft. Once we plug the values in we get 6W = 60. Now we can use the inverse property of multiplication (which is division) to solve for W.  We can divide 6 times W by 6; and we also have to do that to the other side so we have 6W/6 = 60/6; then we get the value of W which equals 10 ft.

Now we can substitute what we know about length (L). We know that L is equal to 2W. And we know that 2W is 2 times 10. so the value of L is equal to 2 times 10 which is 20 ft.

Then we check the values of what we know about perimeter. That is W + L + W + L = P. Plug in the values we get 10 + 20 + 10 + 20 = 60; since both sides equal 60 the equation is true.

Hope that helped!

Question 6

Tim answered all the questions on his math test but got 10 answers wrong. He received 4 points for every correct answer, and there was no penalty for wrong answers. His score was 76 points.
Write an equation to determine the total number of questions (q)(q)left parenthesis, q, right parenthesis on Tim's math test.

Accepted Answer

Because Tim answered 10 of the q questions wrong and answered all the questions, he answered (q-10) questions right.

Since each right answer was 4 points and there was no penalty for wrong answers, Tim’s score was 4(q-10) points.

Since Tim’s score was 76 points, a correct equation is 4(q-10) = 76.

Have a blessed, wonderful Christmas holiday!

Question 7

What is the perimeter.

Accepted Answer

perimeter circle the t and underline rim. so you are adding around the rim (outside) of a figure.

Question 8

Does Anyone get this

Accepted Answer

What part do you find confusing?  How he got 2w, the formula for Perimeter, the two step equation once he got the formula?  The more specific you can get, the easier it is to try to help.

Question 9

I'm kind of confused, why do we divide both sides with 6? Is it because we need to cancel out the 6w to find out the answer?

Accepted Answer

You should not cancel out the 6w, only the 6 as the coefficient of w.

Question 10

the area of a rectangular garden is 240 sq ft, and the length of its diagonal is 26ft.  find the dimensions of the garden.  **draw a picture of the situation, be sure to identify your variables, then set up a system of nonlinear equations and use the substitution method to solve**

Accepted Answer

The rectangular garden will be the shape of a rectangle with two unknown sides that you will need to solve. Let's call it length L and width W. The diagonal will divide the rectangle into two right triangles with base L and height W.

To write your equations, it will obviously involve the sides L and W. But what else are given?
The area of the rectangle is 240sq ft. What relations between L and W  does this give? This will be your first equation.
The other given info is the diagonal line is 26 and it forms a right triangle. Given a right triangle, the first thing that comes to my mind is the parthagorean theorem, a^2 + b^2 = c^2. Using this, in term of L and W, you can write your second equation.
Then use substitution to solve for L and W, the dimensions of the rectangular garden.

Pre-algebra

Course: Pre-algebra > Unit 10

Two-step equation word problem: garden

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Video transcript