MAT 070-Algebra I-Word Problems

Read and translate

Comparisons
Fixed rate and variable rate

Objectives
a Read and translate word problems.
b Solve problems involving comparisons.
c Solve fixed rate + variable rate word problems.

a Reading and translating word problems

Students taking Algebra frequently complain that the course would be easier if it
were only in English. Yet the minute they encounter a word problem, they
complain that it would be easier if they had an equation to solve. Reading Math is
not like reading a Science Fiction novel. It is more like learning a foreign
language.

There are certain “key” words that are used for mathematical meanings.

Addition ( ) English Words English Phrases Algebraic

Translation
sum The sum of a x 4
number and 4
more than 4 more than a x 4
number
increased A number x 4
increased by 4
greater than 4 greater than a x 4
number
plus A number plus 4 x 4

added to A number added x 4

to 4

1
2 MAT 070-Word Problems: Read/Translate; Comparisons; Fixed Rate & Variable Rate

Subtraction ( ) English Words English Phrases Algebraic

Translation
The difference
difference between a number x 4
and 4
less than 4 less than a
x 4
number
decreased A number x 4
decreased by 4
fewer than 4 fewer than a
x 4
number
minus A number minus 4 x 4

subtracted 4 subtracted from x 4

a number
less A number less 4 x 4

Multiplication English Words English Phrases Algebraic

( or ) Translation
product The product of a 4x
number and 4
times 4 times a number 4x

of 4 of a number 4x

Division ( ) English Words English Phrases Algebraic

Translation
A number divided x
divided by by 4 4
quotient The quotient of a x
number and 4 4

English Words English Phrases Algebraic

Equals ( )
Translation
is (or was, will be) A number plus 4 x 4 6
is 6.
equals A number plus 9
x 9 15
equals 15
 Objective a: Reading and translating word problems 3
There are a couple of special words that you also need to remember. Double or
twice a number means 2x, and triple or thrice a number means 3x.

Example 1: Use the tables above to translate the following English phrases into
algebraic expressions. Let x the unknown number.

A) 5 more than a number.

Solution: 
5 more
than
 a
number

5 x

So the algebraic expression is: 5 x (or x 5 ).

B) half of the number.

Solution: half
  of 
thenumber

1
x
2
1 x
So the algebraic expression is: x (or ).
2 2
C) 8 more than a number.
Solution: 8
more
than
 a
number
 
8 x

So the algebraic expression is: 8 x (or x 8 ).

Practice Problem 1: Use the tables above to translate the following English
phrases into algebraic expressions. Again let x the unknown number.

A) a number increased by 7.
B) one-third of a number.
C) a number times 9.

The solution to this Practice Problem may be found starting on page 24.

Addition and multiplication are commutative. This means that the order in which
the terms are written doesn’t matter. For example, 2 3 is the same as 3 2 .
Likewise, 2 x is the same as x 2 .
4 MAT 070-Word Problems: Read/Translate; Comparisons; Fixed Rate & Variable Rate

However, subtraction and division are NOT commutative. So the order in which
the terms are written does matter. For example, 5 3 is not the same as 3 5 .
Likewise, this also means that 2 x is not the same as x 2 . It is because of this
that subtraction and division pose a particular problem for beginning Algebra
students. Consider the examples below.

Example 2: Use the tables above to translate the following English phrases into
algebraic expressions. Let x the unknown number.
A) a number subtract 10.
Solution: a
number
 subtract

   10 So, the algebraic expression is:
x 10
x 10

B) 10 subtracted from a number.

Solution: 10 subtracted from a number.

We need to be careful of the order in which the terms are subtracted, since
10 is being subtracted from the number.

So, the algebraic expression is: x 10

C) 10 less than a number

Solution: 10 less than a number.

We need to be careful of the order in which the terms are subtracted since
we have 10 less than a number.

So, the algebraic expression is: x 10

D) a number divided by 6.
Solution: In algebra, a fraction bar is usually used to indicate division. So
we can view the word expression as:
x
 
a number
divided by
6
x
So the algebraic expression is:
6
 Objective a: Reading and translating word problems 5
E) 6 divided by a number.
Solution: In Algebra, a fraction bar is usually used to indicate division. So
we can view the word expression as:
6
divided by
a
number
 
x
6
So the algebraic expression is:
x

Practice Problem 2: Use the tables above to translate the following English
phrases into algebraic expressions.

A) A number subtract 15
B) A number subtracted from 15
C) 15 less than a number
D) 15 divided by a number

The solution to this Practice Problem may be found starting on page 24.

The examples above use English to describe a single algebraic operation. It is

possible to use English to describe more than one algebraic operation. Consider
the examples below.

Example 3: Use the tables above to translate the following English phrases into
algebraic expressions.

A) Triple a number plus 5.

Solution: triple a number 
 plus  5
3 x 5

So, the algebraic expression is: 3x 5

B) A number divided by 4 plus 3.

Solution: anumber
 divided
 by
4 
plus 
3
x
3
4
x
So the algebraic expression is: 3
4
6 MAT 070-Word Problems: Read/Translate; Comparisons; Fixed Rate & Variable Rate

C) 1 of a number minus 3.
2

Solution: 12 of a number
 minus
 3
  
1 3
2 x

So the algebraic expression is: 12 x 3

D) 5 times a number plus 11.

Solution: 
5 
times a
number
    plus
  11
5 x 11

So the algebraic expression is: 5x 11 .

E) 5 times the sum of a number and 11.

Solution: 5 times
  the 
sum of a number and 11
mult iplicat ion addit io n

We must be careful to show that 5 multiplies the sum of a number and 11.
We will use parentheses to show this.

5 
 times
 the
sum of anumber
 and 11

5 (x 11)

So, the algebraic expression is: 5(x 11) .

NOTE: This is not the same answer as 3 D). Here, we are multiplying the
quantity x 11 by the number 5. In 3 D), only the number, x, is being
multiplied by 5 to get 5x 11 .
Practice Problem 3: Use the tables above to translate the following English
phrases into algebraic expressions.
A) double a number added to 15.
B) one-fifth a number plus 17.
C) 6 times a number is taken from 12.
D) 1.2 times a number plus 1
E) 1.2 times the sum of a number and 1.

The solution to this Practice Problem may be found starting on page 25.
 Objective a: Reading and translating word problems 7
Example 4: Write the following English statement as an algebraic expression. Let
x be the unknown number.

Three times a number increased by four is subtracted from two times the same
number.

Solution:
The first part of the statement, “three times a number increased by four” can be
written as
three
 timesa
number
 is
increased
 by
 4
3x 4
or 3x 4.

Now, this entire quantity 3x 4 needs to be subtracted from “two times the
same number”. Since we can express “two times the same number” as 2x, this
gives us
2x (3x 4)

NOTE: The parentheses are required here, since the entire quantity 3x 4 (not
just 3x) is being subtracted from 2x. 2x 3x 4 would be wrong.

Practice Problem 4: Write the following English statement as an algebraic

expression:

Five times a number increased by four is divided by six times the same number.

The solution to this Practice Problem may be found starting on page 26.
8 MAT 070-Word Problems: Read/Translate; Comparisons; Fixed Rate & Variable Rate

Example 5: Let x be the amount of money Ann has. Write an algebraic expression
for each of the following. NOTE: Just write an algebraic expression. There is
nothing to solve.

A) Marco has $6 less than Ann has.

Solution: Marco has $6 
less
 than
 Ann
 has


subtraction x

We need to be careful of the order in which the terms are subtracted since
Marco has $6 less than Ann has.
So, the algebraic expression is: x 6 . (NOTE: 6 x is not correct.)

B) Olivio has 3 times as much money as Ann.

Solution: Olivia has 3 times as much money as Ann has
   
3 x
So, the algebraic expression is: 3x.

C) Franchesca has $5 more than Ann.

Solution: Franchesca has $5
 more
than Ann
  has


5 x

So, the algebraic expression is 5 x (or x 5 ).

Practice Problem 5: Let x the number miles Harriet drove. Write an algebraic
expression for each of the following. NOTE: Just write an algebraic expression.
There is nothing to solve.

A) Marie drove twice as far as Harriet drove.

B) Ozzie drove 12 miles less than Harriet drove.
C) Felix drove 17 miles more than Harriet drove.

The solution to this Practice Problem may be found starting on page 26.