Algebra Please Explain

Question

Brent and Max both run the 100-meter dash for their school’s track team. Brent’s best time is (x - 6) seconds and Max’s best time is (3x + 5) seconds. If Max has the faster time, by how many seconds faster is his best time than Brent’s best time (write Brent’s time first as Max’s time is less)?
Question options:

a) (4x - 11) seconds

b) (2x + 11) seconds

c) (-2x - 11) seconds

d) (4x + 1) seconds

Answer 1

Hi Maria,

 

don't think of this problem in terms of X; think of it in terms of real life. If you had 2 friends running a race and one of them was faster than the other, how would you figure out how much faster one of them was? You would probably subtract the slower time from the faster time. And you would be correct.

 

The question - how much faster really means find the difference.

 

If Max is the faster runner then Brent, then to find the difference in their race time you would subtract Bren't time (x-6) from Max's time (3x+5).

 

 3x+5

- x-6

2x+11