Immaculate Conception - I College of Arts and Technology

MATHEMATICS FOR THE MODERN WORLD

LESSON 12 No. of weeks: 2

Topic:
Word Problems Involving Linear Equations in One Variable

At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:

 Expose oneself in different types of word problem
 Solve word problems involving linear equation in one variable

A. Number Relationship Problem

To solve number relationship problems, translate the problem into an equation.
Example: A number added to four times the sum of the same number and 7 is equal to thrice the
number less than 36. Find the number.
Solution:
Let x be the number
x  4x  7  36  3x Form the equation.
x  4x  28  36  3x Distribute.
5x  3x  28  36  28 Combine similar terms.
8x  8 Simplify.
x 1

B. Consecutive Integers Problem

Example: Given four consecutive odd integers where six times the second integer is two less than
four times the largest integer. Find the third integer.
Solution:
Let x, x + 2, x + 4, and x + 6 be the four consecutive odd integers.
6( x  2)  4( x  6)  2 Form the equation.
6x  12  4x  24  2 Distribute.
6x  4x  24  2  12 Combine similar terms.
2x  10 Simplify.
x5

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 Immaculate Conception - I College of Arts and Technology
MATHEMATICS FOR THE MODERN WORLD

C. Age Problem
To solve age problems, represent the age of one person by a variable. Use this variable to represent
the ages of other persons in the problem. Using a table to represent the ages of the persons in
different time frames (whether past or future ages) may be helpful to visualize the problem better.
Example: Bhadz is 5 years older than Dong. Thrice the sum of their ages is 57. Find their ages.
Solution:
Let x be the age of Dong
x + 5 be the age of Bhadz
Sum of Dong’s and Bhadz’s age: x x5
Thrice the sum of their ages: 3 ( x  x  5)
3 ( x  x  5)  57 Form the equation.
3 (2 x  5)  57 Combine similar terms.
6x  15  57 Distribute.
6x  57  15 Simplify.
6 x  42
x7
x  5  7  5  12
Thus, Dong is 7 years old and Bhadz is 12 years old.

D. Distance or Motion Problem

To solve for distance problems, use the formula,

distance = rate × time

Example: Two cars 420 kilometers apart travel toward each other. They meet after 3 hours.
Assuming they started at the same time, what is the speed of the two cars if one of them travels 30
kph faster?
Solution:
Let x be the speed of the first car
x  30 be the speed of the second car
Rate Time Distance
first car x 3 3x
second car x  30 3 3 x  30

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 Immaculate Conception - I College of Arts and Technology
MATHEMATICS FOR THE MODERN WORLD

Since the two cars traveled towards each other, then,

distance traveled distance traveled
+ = total distance (d t)
by the first car (d1) by the second car (d2)

3x  3 ( x  30)  420 Form the equation.

3x  3x  90  420 Distribute.
6x  330 Combine similar terms.
x  55 Simplify.
Thus, the speed of the first car is 55 kph, and the speed of the second car is 55 + 30 = 85 kph.

E. Money Problem
To solve for money problems, the total value of the money ( V ) is equal to the denomination ( D )
times the number of pieces ( N ). That is,
V=D×N

Example: Clea has some 50-peso bills and 100-peso bills. The number of 50-peso bills is 5 more
than thrice the number of 100-peso bills. If the total value of her money is Php 2 000, how many
pieces of each kind does she have?
Solution:
Let x be the number of 100-peso bills
3x  5 be the number of 50-peso bills
D N V
100-peso bills 100 x 100 x
50-peso bills 50 3x  5 50 (3 x  5)

100 x  50 (3x  5)  2 000 Form the equation.

100 x  150 x  250  2 000 Distribute.
250 x  2 000  250 Combine similar terms.
250x  1750 Simplify.
x7
3x  5  3 (7)  5  26
Thus, Clea has seven 100-peso bills and twenty-six 50-peso bills.

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 Immaculate Conception - I College of Arts and Technology
MATHEMATICS FOR THE MODERN WORLD

F. Mixture Problem
To solve mixture problems, remember the formula V  A  C , where A refers to the amount of
solution, expressed as either mass or volume, C refers to the concentration of solute (i.e., sugar, salt,
acid, alcohol) in the mixture, and V is the actual amount of solute in the entire mixture.

Example: How many grams of 60% salt solution must be added to 60 grams of 10% salt solution
to make a 30% salt solution?

Solution:
Let x be the amount of 60% salt solution
A C V
First solution x 60% 0.60x
Second solution 60 10% 0.10 (60)
Mixture x  60 30% 0.30 ( x  60)

0.60 x  0.10 (60)  0.30 ( x  60) Form the equation.

60 x  10 (60)  30 ( x  60) Multiply 100.
60x  600  30x  1800 Distribute.
60x  30x  1800  600 Combine similar terms.
30x  1200 Simplify.
x  40
Therefore, 40 grams of 60% salt solution is required to mix with the other solution in order to have a
30% salt solution.

G. Digit Problem
Example: The sum of the digits of a two-digit number is 12. If the digits are reversed, the resulting
number is 15 more than twice the original number. What is the original number?
Solution:
Let x be the units digit
12  x be the tens digit
Original number: 10 (12  x)  x
Reversing digits: 10 x  (12  x)
Equation: 10x  (12  x)  21012  x  x  15
Resulting number = twice the original number plus fifteen
Solving the equation, we have x  9 .
Thus, the original number is 39.

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 Immaculate Conception - I College of Arts and Technology
MATHEMATICS FOR THE MODERN WORLD

H. Investment Problem
To solve for investment problems, remember the formula I  P  r  t , where the interest earned ( I )
is the product of the money invested ( P ), rate of interest ( r ), and time ( t ).
Example: Ronald invested a certain amount at 12% interest rate. She invested Php 3 000 more
than the first amount at 10% interest rate. How much did she invest at 12% interest rate if after a
year, the income from the two investments were the same?

Solution:
Let x be the amount invested at 12% interest rate
x  3 000 be the amount invested at 10% interest rate
P r t I
First account x 12% 1 0.12x
Second account x  3 000 10% 1 0.10 ( x  3 000)

Since the accounts will have the same income after one year, then
interest earned from interest earned
from
the first account = the second
account

0.12 x  0.10 ( x  3 000) Form the equation.

12 x  10 ( x  3 000) Multiply both sides by 100.
12 x  10 x  30 000 Distribute.
12 x  10 x  30 000 Combine similar terms.
2 x  30 000 Simplify.
x  15 000
x  3 000 18 000

Therefore, Php 15 000 was invested at 12% interest rate and Php 18 000 at 10% interest rate.

I. Work Problem
To solve for work problems, use the formula W  r  t , where W represents the work done, r is the
rate of work, and t is the time required to do the work. The rate is simply the reciprocal of the time
needed to do the entire job.
Example: Sean can complete an art project in 2 hours while Brad can complete the same project
in 3 hours. If they work together on the same project, how long would it take for them to complete it?
Solution:
Let x be the numbers of hours Sean and Brad can finish the art project together

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 Immaculate Conception - I College of Arts and Technology
MATHEMATICS FOR THE MODERN WORLD

Rate Time Work

Sean 1 x 1
x
2 2
Brad 1 x 1
x
3 3

Since they will be able to complete the project, then the work done is equal to 1.

work done by Sean + work done by Brad = total work done 1 1

x  x 1
2 3
Form the equation.
1 1 
6  x  x   (1) 6 Multiply both sides by the LCD: 6
2 3 
3x  2x  6
5x  6 Combine similar terms.
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x  hrs of 1 hr and 12 minutes
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Thus, Sean and Brad can finish the art project working together in 1 hour and 12 minutes.

J. Geometry Problem
To solve geometric problems, recall formulas for the perimeter, area, and volume of different
geometric figures and basic geometric relationships.
Example: What is the area of a rectangle if its width is 6 less than its length and its perimeter is 60
cm?

Solution:
Let x be the length
x  6 be the width
P  2 L  2W
2 x  2 ( x  6)  60 Form the equation.
2 x  2 x  12  60 Distribute.
4x  60  12 Combine similar terms.
4 x  72 Simplify.
x  18
x  6  12

Thus, the length of the rectangle is 18 cm and its width is 12 cm.

A  L  W  (18) (12)  216
Therefore, area is 216 square centimeters.
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