how do you do word problems in algebra

Question

word problems very difficult to do

Answer 1

Word association!

For example:

A number is seven more than three times another number.  The difference between those numbers is 102.  What are those two numbers?

--> A number (n) is (=) seven (7) more than (+) three (3) times (*) another number (a).  The difference between (-) those numbers is (=) 102.  What are those two numbers?

--> n=7+3*a; n-a=102

Once you can fish out the equation hidden within the words, you can solve the problem.

 

Answer 2

All good responses, but just let me add. 

First identify what is being asked, that is the x in x = ------.  Then look for the given information this is the right side of the eqauation. 

 

Words have mathematical relationships. i.e., is - means equal, and - means add, minus -bmeans subtract, per - means divide, of - usally means divide or multiply by a reciprocal (1/4 of), by usually means multiply. 

 

Write each given down on a seperate line and then build the equation from there,

where x= the answer). 

 

Note:  To aide in setting up the right side look at the units (i.e., miles, hours,  miles/hr, $, etc,) and place them in the equation so that all the units cancel (units cancel just like number do) except for the unit that is beind asked for.  This is called unit analysis a facny word for a neat little trick to simplify wheter to multipy of divide.

 

Example:  How far does an automobile travel that is moving at 55miles per hr and travels for 3 hours.

 

   What is being asked:  How far, a distance, in this case miles. So  X will be in miles.

 

   What is given?  55miles per (divide) hour =>  55miles/hr

                              and time => 3hr

 

So we start with X= and the given information is placed on the right so that all units that are not miles cancel leaving only miles.

                          thus            X=55*miles/hr  * 3*hr  (I have added the * to show that units are multiplied as well as divided, just like numerals.)

                         rewriting     X=55*miles * 3*hr/hr

                         hours cancel since anything divided by itself is one. => hr/hr=1

                             leaving    X=55*3* miles

                                                 or

                                             X=155miles  which is the unit of distance that was being asked for.

 

 

 

 

Answer 3

All word problems are a verbal form of an equation. As you read the word problem there are specific words within the paragraph that instruct the person who is reading the word problem what the word problem is asking it to solve. Most word problems are a different way of asking one to solve an equation. Most of the equations that you are asked to solve in word problems. The skill that needs to be developed in solving word problems is to know how to determine what algebraic equation you are being asked to solve and to know how to solve the equation.

Answer 4

Read the problem twice and determine exactly - what is the question to solve?  Then read again to determine if there are different units of measure - dollars and cents, feet and inches - note what you are solving for and make the conversions while you are setting up the problem and solve for x. 

Answer 5

I agree.  It depends on the word problem and it takes one of the hardest skills in math: translating english (or whatever language) sentences into mathematical symbols, doing the math, and then translating the symbols back into words and sentences that make sense.  There's not really a completely sure fire way to figure out how to do every single word problem, but it's good to look out for numbers in some form or another like 4, 6, seven, half.  Look out for comparison words like "the same" "less than" "many more" to help know how amounts relate to one another.  And finally look for questions.  Try to figure out what exactly you are trying to find.  It helps to see lots and lots and lots and lots and LOTS of examples.  Feel free to post an example on this site.