Math problem Options

[chocolatechic]

I need help, rather quickly on this one....we are doing Business math and blamo...here is this problem in the middle of it all..."practice problems''....

Anyway, here is the problem..

The first missionary speaker spoke

[tabv]

You mean how to get to the equation or how to solve it?

Ask him if there is one set amount that the others all relate to... or to define each one as a different letter?

a + b + c = 35


and then we know that a is half b... how else can I write that?

and we know that a is twice c... how else can I write that?



Sometimes just different wordings, saying the same thing over and over but in different ways... it will hit just right...

even use a clock... if that could help him... but I'm not sure how.


Let us know how it works!


Tabitha (math teacher in a former life lol... before kids or before dh's graduation at least)

[Tressa]

Ok, here is how I figured it, but I could be wrong.

Let x=the time each speaker spoke.

And, you know that the total time of speaking is 35 minutes.

So, one speaker spoke for x time.
One, speaker spoke for 1/2x time
And one speaker spoke for 2x time.

I wrote the problem x +1/2x + 2x = 35
3 1/2 x=35
x =10

Now, you need to plug the 10 into each x.

One speaker spoke for x =10 minutes
One speaker spoke for 1/2 x= 5 minutes
One speaker spoke for 2x = 20 minutes.

Did I do it right? Do I make sense?

[Tressa]

Ok, just looked at this again.
If you use your problem,

x +2x +4x =35

You would get 7x=35

Divide 35 by 7 and get x=5

Now, you have to plug your 5 back into the problem

x=5
2(5)=10
4(5)=20

Now, you know how long they all spoke.

I hope I helped.

[Donna]

Tressa that is very good and to the point. I like it!

I am going to show Tanya the long drawn out way to solve for each missionary. I'm not sure if I need too, but here goes:

-------------------------------------------
This problem has three things: speaking missionaries and we are going to call them:
a, b, and c

This problem has to have three 'is' sentences and they are:
The total speaking time is 35 minutes.
a + b + c = 35
The first missionary speaker spoke

[Sammi]

[chocolatechic]

Did I do it right? Do I make sense? 

yippee........you did it....

I had it set up wrong....well.........the book told me to set it up wrong.

I was thinking that you would have to do x +

[Again]

Oh gosh! That sure made my day!!!!! Thanks ya'll!!!

[krodriguez]

Ok, just looked at this again.
If you use your problem,

x +2x +4x =35

You would get 7x=35
 
Divide 35 by 7 and get x=5

Now, you have to plug your 5 back into the problem

x=5
2(5)=10
4(5)=20

Now, you know how long they all spoke.

I hope I helped. 

Yea, that is what I thought. Since x is the only factor, they can be added and then divided evenly.

[chocolatelover]

Now my brain is fried.........toooooo early for this kind of stuff.

[Donna]

So, one speaker spoke for x time.
One, speaker spoke for 1/2x time
And one speaker spoke for 2x time.

I wrote the problem  x +1/2x + 2x = 35
                                  3 1/2 x=35
                                        x =10

I really like how you wrote that out. The problem offered in the book, x + 2x + 4x = 35, is yours times 2. Yours makes more sense since it goes along with what the story problem says.

[Tressa]

Yeah, thanks Donna! I am so excited that I remember how to do this!

[tabv]

Sorry, I thought you knew how to get to the answer but were having trouble getting your son to be able to reach the same... if that makes sense.

Glad it is all worked out!

Tabitha