This question is to help me gather “ammunition” for the kids I tutor. I thought this “poll” of algebra word problems might help me build a dossier: Can any SDopers think of algebraic word problems where the answer is in the form y=mx + b …but, I must place one condition that b <> 0.
For some reason, I’m drawing a blank here…too many my examples come out too simple where it always boils down to a multiple of x, like y = 3x. Inother words, thinking backward from a solution, what verbiage would get that +b term into my word problem? - Jinx
I know, we all hated those word problems, right? But, now that we’re older and wiser, well, older anyway… …we shouldn’t fear them! They’re really quite logical. Anyhow, I will toss something out as some food for thought. Maybe this can spark some ideas from the SDopers from their real-life experiences?
This may be an esoteric application, but I was thinking along the lines of a situation where a retaining wall is to be built such that it rises 3 feet high for every 10 feet…for practical and aesthetic reasons. Sometimes, many contractors are working from one plot plan (elevation drawing) on a construction site. The origin (i.e.: zero point or dataum) may be chosen by the surveyor. And, it may not necessarily be the most convenient for you, but you gotta live with it.
In this case, you might have to express your relative elevations of your wall as a more global value for everyone’s benefit - relative to the datum line. I know…too deep, huh?
Maybe I should just flip through some Algebra texts at the library. At least my pupil’s dad is in excavation, and this boy has ambitions of running the business one day…so, he’d understand me! …Now, that’s scary!!! :dubious: - Jinx
I think there’s books out that are just collections of word problems. I’d suggest searching for one of those. Searching in books at amazon.com for “word problems” turns up some entries that may be interesting. If there’s a good library near by you may be in luck.
The phone company charges $19 a month for the basic service. In addition to this, you are also charged 10 cents for each minute of long distance calls. Express the monthly charge as a function of the number of minutes in long distance calls.
Fred wants to collect Yugi-Oh cards (update type of card monthly ;)), and has $20. He gets $7 per week in allowance (or $1 per day, if you like). The starter deck of 20 cards costs $15, and he can get additional cards for 50 cents each.
After x days, how many cards does he have?
How many days until he has enough cards for two players (40 cards)?
Do you only want problems based on single equations, or are you covering systems of two linear eqs in two variables? If you are, I’ve got an old college algebra book here that has scads of those. For example (note this is a very old book so take the prices with a grain of salt):
A grocer wishes to obtain 40 pounds of coffee worth 42 cents a pound by combining 48-cent coffee and 32-cent coffee. How many pounds of each must be used?
Or:
The sum o fthe digits of a two-digit number is 15. If the digits are reversed, the number is decreased by 27. Find the number.
…we shouldn’t fear them! They’re really quite logical. Anyhow, I will toss something out as some food for thought. Maybe this can spark some ideas from the SDopers from their real-life experiences?