Multi step equation

Question

A ship departs from Port Miami with 5,678 tons of cargo. The ship docks at the Bahamas and unloads some cargo. The crew also loads three times the quantity of cargo that was unloaded. If the ship holds 8,588 tons now, how many tons of cargo did the ship unload at the Bahamas?

Answer 1

First, we would need to define x as the weight of cargo that is unloaded at the Bahamas. X is an unknown number, and that is why we are defining x as the weight of unloaded cargo. Then, we write an equation from the word problem, using x every time we want to put the weight of unloaded cargo. Finally, we will solve the equation for x.

Here goes:

x= weight of unloaded cargo

5678 - x + 3x = 8588 combine like terms on each side of the equaiton

5678 + 2x = 8588 start isolating x by subtracting 5678 from both sides

-5678 -5678

2x = 2910 finish isolating x by dividing both sides by 2

x = 1455

Our final answer is that x, which is the weight of the unloaded cargo, is 1,455 pounds.

Answer 2

Hi Jeff D

1455 tons

Your information says that

5678 - x = 8588 - 3x

You just need to solve for x

I hope you find this useful