Linear Equations and Problem Solving

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Consecutive Integers
Find three consecutive integers whose sum is
162.
Integer 1
Integer 2
Integer 3
Total

x-1
x
x+1
162

x 1 x x 1 162
3x 162
x 54

x 1 54 1 53

x 1 54 1 55

Traveling
A pair of hikers, 18 miles apart, begin at the same time to
hike toward each other. If one walks at a rate that is 1 mph
faster than the other, and if they meet 2 hours later, how
fast is each one walking?
Hiker 2s dist.
Hiker 1s dist.

18

Hiker 1s distance + Hiker 2s distance = 18

Hiker 1

2x

Hiker 2

x+1

2(x+1)

Rate

Time

Distance = 18

2 x 2( x 1) 18

2 x 2 x 2 18
4 x 2 18

4 x 16
x 4 mph
x 1 4 1 5 mph

Traveling
A pair of cars, 280 miles apart, begin at the same time to run
toward each other. If car A from city A runs at a rate that is 10
mph faster than car B from city B, and if they meet 2 hours later,
how far is the place they meet away from city A?
Car As dist.

Car Bs dist.

280

Car As distance + Car Bs distance = 280

Car A

x + 10

2(x + 10)

Car B

2x

Rate

Time

Distance = 280

2 x 2( x 10) 280

2 x 2 x 20 280
4 x 20 280

4 x 260 2( x 10) 2 75 150 mi.

x 65 mph
x 10 75 mph

Traveling
The Yankee Clipper leaves the pier at 9:00am at 8 knots (nautical
miles per hour). A half hour later, The Riverboat Rover leaves
the same pier in the same direction traveling at 10 knots. At
what time will The Riverboat Rover overtake The Yankee
Clipper?
Yankee
Clipper

9:00 ~ 9:30
Traveled
4 nt. miles

x hours after
9:30

8x

8x + 4

Riverboat
Rover

9:00 ~ 9:30
Traveled
0 nt. miles

10

x hours after
9:30

10x

0 + 10x

rate

time

dist.

total

Yankee Total = Riverboat Rover Total

4 8x 0 10x
4 2x

x 2 hr.

4 nt. mi.

YC

RR

9:00

8x nt. mi.

YC

10x nt. mi.

9:30

YC

RR

x hr. after
9:30

Tickets
The school play sold 450 tickets for a total of $1160. If
student tickets are $2.00 and adult tickets are $4.00,
how many of each type were sold?
Student
Adult
Total

2
4
-----

x
450 x
450

2x
4(450 x)
1160

Student tickets sales + Adult tickets sales = 1160

2 x 4(450 x) 1160
2 x 1800 4 x 1160
2 x 1800 1160

2 x 640

x 320 tks
450 x 450 320 130 tks

Tickets
Fred is selling tickets for his home movies. Tickets for friends are $3.00 and everyone else must pay
$5.00 per ticket. If he sold 72 tickets and made $258 how many of each type did he sell?

Friend
Non-Friend
Total

3
5
----

3x 5(72 x) 258
3x 360 5x 258
2 x 360 258

2 x 102

x
72 x
72

3x
5(72 x)
258

x 51 tks
72 x 72 51 21 tks

Accounting
Barney has $450 and spends $3 each week.
Betty has $120 and saves $8 each week. How
many weeks will it take for them to have the
same
amount
of
money?
Barney
450
3
x
450 3x
Betty
120
8
x
120 + 8x
initial wk spend wk
end total

450 3x 120 8x
450 120 11x
330 11x
x 3 wk

Accounting

You Try This!

Fred has $100 and saves $4 each week. Wilma has $28 and
saves $10 each week. How long will it take for them to have the
same amount of money? What is that amount?

Fred
Wilma

100
4
x
28
10
x
initial wk sp wk

100 4 x 28 10x
100 28 6x
72 6x
x 12 wk

100 + 4x
28 + 10x
end total
28 10x 28 10 12 $148

More on Traveling
A driver averaged 50mph on the highway and 30mph
on the side roads. If the trip of 185 miles took a total
of 4 hours and 30 minutes, how many miles were on
the highway.
Highway
Side Road

50
30

Total

x 185 x

4.5
50
30

x
185 x
185

x/50
(185 x)/30
4.5

My God! It is so complicated!!!

More on Consecutive Integers

Find three consecutive integers that the difference of
the product of two larger ones and the product of two
smaller ones is 30.
Integer 1

Integer 2
Integer 3
Prod. of Larger 2

Prod. of Smaller 2

x( x 1) x( x 1) 30
x 2 x x 2 x 30
2 x 30

x-1
x
x+1
x(x + 1)
x(x - 1)

x 15
x 1 16

x 1 14

More on Traveling
A driver averaged 50mph on the highway and 30mph on the side
roads. If the trip of 185 miles took a total of 4 hours and 30
minutes, how many miles were on the highway.

Highway
Side Road

50
30

Total

50 x 30(4.5 x) 185

50x 135 30 x 185

20x 135 185

x
4.5 x
4.5

50x
30(4.5 x)
185

20 x 50
x 2.5 hr.
50 x 50(2.5) 125 mi.

Weighted Averages
You have 32 coins made up of dimes and nickels.
You have a total of $2.85. How many of each
type of coin do you have?
Dime
Nickel
Total

10
5

x
32 x
32

10 x 5(32 x) 285

10x 160 5x 285

5x 160 285

10x
5(32 x)
285

5x 125
x 25
32 x 7

Weighted Averages
The Quick Mart has two kinds of nuts. Pecans
sell for $1.55 per pound and walnuts sell for
$1.95 per pound. How many pounds of walnuts
must be added to 15 pounds of pecans to make
a mixture that sells for $1.75 per pound.
Pecans
Walnuts

Mixture

1.55
15
15 1.55
1.95
x
1.95x
1.75 x +15 1.75(x + 15)

1.55 15 1.95x 1.75( x 15)

23.25 1.95x 1.75x 26.25
23.25 0.2 x 26.25

0.2 x 3
x 15 lb.

Mixture
A druggist must make 20 oz of a 12% saline
solution from his supply of 5% and 15% solutions.
How much of each should he use?
12%
solution

12%

20

2012%

5%
solution

5%

x 5%

15%
solution

15%

20 x

(20 x) 15%

20 0.12 0.05x (20 x) 0.15

2.4 0.05x 3 0.15x
x 6 oz.
2.4 0.1x 3
20 x 20 6 14 oz.
0.6 0.1x