# Algebra problem help

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/algebra-problem-help/354541>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 28, 2006, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/algebra-problem-help/354541 "2006-04-28T01:17:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Cabbage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@Cabbage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabbage)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/algebra-problem-help/354541/21 "2006-04-28T03:36:27Z")

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I don’t think any (reasonable) teacher would care either way, letting n represent the number of passengers, or letting n represent the number of empty seats. The important thing is **communication** : Simply state up front what your “n” is representing.

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**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/algebra-problem-help/354541/22 "2006-04-28T03:38:40Z")

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And oh yeah, that sure seems like a stupid-ass way to rent a plane. 😃

> [@dauerbach](#):
>
> Best of all, I actually understand it now.

That IS the best part. 🙂

So many algebra problems hinge on defining one term as x and one as (total - x). I once caught a **textbook author** defining them incorrectly in an example problem when I was proofreading his book. I wrote a lengthy but tactful query, and he thanked me for catching the goof.

So yeah, it can be confusing! :smack:

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