Lesson 1.6 notes – 2.

0 + practice
Lesson 1.6

What’s Absolute Value?

For example, ∣3∣=3|3| = 3∣3∣=3 and ∣−3∣=3|-3| = 3∣−3∣=3.

The absolute value of a number is its distance from zero on the number line, no matter if it's positive or negative.

Steps to Solve:

1. Isolate the absolute value: Get the absolute value part by itself.
2. Consider both possibilities: The inside of the absolute value could be positive or negative, so solve for
both.

Examples:

∣x∣=7|x| = 7∣x∣=7
1. Example 1:

xxx could be 7 or -7 because both give an absolute value of 7.

2. Example 2:
5+∣x∣=85 + |x| = 85+∣x∣=8

∣x∣=3|x| = 3∣x∣=3
First, subtract 5:

Now, xxx could be 3 or -3 because both give an absolute value of 3.

∣2x−1∣=7|2x - 1| = 7∣2x−1∣=7
3. Example 3:

Two possibilities:
o 2x−1=72x - 1 = 72x−1=7, solve for x=4x = 4x=4
o 2x−1=−72x - 1 = -72x−1=−7, solve for x=−3x = -3x=−3

If you get something like ∣x∣=−3|x| = -3∣x∣=−3, there’s no solution because absolute value can't be
4. No Solution:

negative!

Key Point:

 When solving, always check both positive and negative possibilities for the value inside the absolute
value.

That’s it! Super simple: isolate the absolute value, solve for both possibilities, and you’re good to go!

Practice:

1) |x| =8 7) |3k + 8| =2 9) |9+7x| = 30

3) |b| =1 5) |5+8a| = 53

What is Variation? Variation problems show how two or more things are related by a constant value. This constant
doesn’t change, even if the other things do.

Types of Variation:
Lesson 1.6 notes – 2.0 + practice
1. Direct Variation (Proportional):
If one thing increases, the other increases too.
Formula: m/n = k
Example: If the time to travel depends on speed, then time varies directly with speed.
2. Inverse Variation (Inversely Proportional):
If one thing increases, the other decreases.
Formula: m° n = k
Example: If the force to break a board depends on its length, they vary inversely.
3. Joint Variation (Jointly Proportional):
If multiple things are related together.
Formula: A/xy = k
Example: Area of a triangle depends on both base and height.

Steps to Solve Variation Problems:

1. Write the formula (based on direct, inverse, or joint variation).

2. Find the constant (k) using known values.
3. Solve for the unknown using the constant.

Practice:

Write the formula that expresses the relationship described

1. c varies directly as a

2. x is jointly proportional to y and z

3. w varies inversely as x

4. r varies directly as the square of s

5. f varies jointly as x and y

6. j is inversely proportional to the cube of m

7. h is directly proportional to b

8. x is jointly proportional with the square of a and the square root of b

9. a is inversely proportional to b

Key Tip:

 Direct = divide
 Inverse = multiply
 Joint = divide by product of all variables

Lesson 1.8

1. "A number" (or unknown, value) often becomes our variable.

Lesson 1.6 notes – 2.0 + practice
2. "Is" (or other forms like was, will be, are) often translates to an equals sign (e.g., x = 5).
3. "More than" often represents addition and is written backward (e.g., "three more than a number"
becomes x + 3).
4. "Less than" often represents subtraction and is also written backward (e.g., "four less than a number"
becomes x − 4).

Example 102:

Problem: If 28 less than five times a certain number is 232, what is the number?

 We translate "28 less than five times a certain number" to 5x − 28.

 Set up the equation:
5x – 28 = 232
 Add 28 to both sides:
5x = 260
 Divide both sides by 5:
x = 52

Answer: The number is 52.

Example 103:

Problem: Fifteen more than three times a number is the same as ten less than six times the number. What is the
number?

 "Fifteen more than three times a number" is 3x + 15.

 "Ten less than six times the number" is 6x − 10.
 Set up the equation:
3x + 15 = 6x – 10
 Subtract 3x from both sides:
15 = 3x - 10
 Add 10 to both sides:
25 = 3x
 Divide both sides by 3:
x = 25/3

Answer: The number is approximately 8.33.

Example 104 (Consecutive Integers):

Problem: The sum of three consecutive integers is 93. What are the integers?

 Let the first integer be x.

 The second integer is x + 1, and the third is x + 2.
 Set up the equation:
x + (x + 1) + (x + 2) = 93
Lesson 1.6 notes – 2.0 + practice
 Simplify:
3x + 3 = 93
 Subtract 3 from both sides:
3x = 90
 Divide both sides by 3:
x = 30

Answer: The integers are 30, 31, and 32.

Example 105 (Consecutive Even Integers):

Problem: The sum of three consecutive even integers is 246. What are the integers?

 Let the first even integer be x.

 The second even integer is x + 2, and the third is x + 4.
 Set up the equation:
x + (x + 2) + (x + 4) = 246
 Simplify:
3x + 6 = 246
 Subtract 6 from both sides:
3x = 240
 Divide both sides by 3:
x = 80

Answer: The integers are 80, 82, and 84.

Example 106 (Consecutive Odd Integers):

Problem: Find three consecutive odd integers so that the sum of twice the first, the second, and three times the
third is 152.

 Let the first odd integer be x.

 The second odd integer is x + 2, and the third is x + 4.
 Set up the equation for the sum of twice the first, the second, and three times the third:
2(x) + (x + 2) + 3(x + 4) = 152
 Simplify:
2x + x + 2 + 3x + 12 = 152 6x + 14 = 152
 Subtract 14 from both sides:
6x=138
 Divide both sides by 6:
x=23

Answer: The integers are 23, 25, and 27.

Practice:
Lesson 1.6 notes – 2.0 + practice
1. When five is added to three more than a certain number, the result is 19. What is the number?

2. If five is subtracted from three times a certain number, the result is 10. What is the number?

3. When 18 is subtracted from six times a certain number, the result is − 42. What is the number?

4. A certain number added twice to itself equals 96. What is the number?

5. A number plus itself, plus twice itself, plus 4 times itself, is equal to − 104. What is the number?

Lesson 1.9

Step-by-Step Guide to Solving Age Problems

1. Step 1: What we know right now.

o Start by figuring out who we know the age of, and call their age x (like a mystery number).
o For the other person, use what we know about their age. If they are older or younger by a certain
number, we can write that.
2. Step 2: Add or subtract if it’s in the future or past.
o If the problem talks about what happens in the future or in the past, we add or subtract that
amount from their age.
3. Step 3: Write an equation.
o The equation is what shows how their ages are related. For example, one person might be twice
as old as the other.
4. Step 4: Solve the equation.
o We solve the equation to find x, which is the age we don’t know.
5. Step 5: Answer the question.
o Once we find x, we can use it to find the ages of both people.

Let’s look at an example:

Example 1:
"Tom is 5 years younger than Mary. In 3 years, Mary will be twice as old as Tom. How old are they now?"

1. Step 1: Who’s age do we know?

o Let’s say we don’t know Tom’s age, so we call his age x.
o Mary is 5 years older than Tom, so Mary’s age is x + 5.
2. Step 2: In the future, what happens?
o In 3 years, Tom’s age will be x + 3, and Mary’s age will be (x + 5) + 3 = x + 8.
3. Step 3: Write the equation.
o The problem says that in 3 years, Mary will be twice as old as Tom. That means:

x +8= 2(x + 3)

4. Step 4: Solve the equation.

o First, simplify the equation:

x + 8 =2x + 6

o Subtract x from both sides:

Lesson 1.6 notes – 2.0 + practice
8=x+6

o Subtract 6 from both sides:

2=x

o So, Tom is 2 years old.

5. Step 5: Answer the question.
o Tom is 2, and Mary is 2 + 5 = 7 years old.

So, Tom is 2 years old, and Mary is 7 years old.

Practice:

1. A boy is 10 years older than his brother. In 4 years he will be twice as old as his brother. Find the present age of
each.

2. A father is 4 times as old as his son. In 20 years the father will be twice as old as his son. Find the present age of
each.

3. Pat is 20 years older than his son James. In two years Pat will be twice as old as James. How old are they now?

4. Diane is 23 years older than her daughter Amy. In 6 years Diane will be twice as old as Amy. How old are they
now?

5. Fred is 4 years older than Barney. Five years ago the sum of their ages was 48. How old are they now?

Solving Distance, Rate, and Time Problems - Simple Notes

When solving distance problems, we use the formula:

Distance = Rate × Time
This means:

 Rate (speed) is how fast someone is traveling (like miles per hour).
 Time is how long they’ve been traveling.
 Distance is how far they travel.

Key Steps:

1. Create a Table:
o Organize the information about the rates, times, and distances of each person or thing involved.

2. Use Variables:
o Let t represent the unknown time in the problem (or use other variables if needed).

3. Fill in the Table:

o Use Rate × Time = Distance to calculate the distance.

4. Solve the Equation:

Lesson 1.6 notes – 2.0 + practice
o After filling the table, add or subtract distances and times to create an equation. Solve for the
unknown (usually time or rate).

Examples:

Example 1: Joggers Running Toward Each Other

 Problem: Two joggers start from opposite ends of an 8-mile course. One jogger runs at 4 mph, the other
at 6 mph. After how long will they meet?
 Table Setup:

Person Rate Time Distance

Jogger 1 4 t 4t
Jogger 2 6 t 6t

 Equation:
Total distance = 8 miles
So: 4t + 6t = 8
10t = 8
t = 8/10 = 0.8 hours (48 minutes)

Example 2: Bob and Fred Walking

 Problem: Bob walks 2 mph faster than Fred. After 3 hours, they are 30 miles apart. How fast did each
walk?
 Table Setup:

Person Rate Time Distance

Bob r+2 3 3(r+2)
Fred r 3 3r

 Equation:
Total distance = 30 miles
So: 3(r+2) + 3r = 30
3r + 6 + 3r = 30
6r + 6 = 30
6r = 24
r = 4 mph (Fred's speed)
Bob's speed = 4 + 2 = 6 mph.

Example 3: Paddling Downstream and Upstream

 Problem: Two campers paddle downstream at 12 mph and upstream at 4 mph. The total trip took 1 hour.
How much time did they paddle downstream?
 Table Setup:
Lesson 1.6 notes – 2.0 + practice
Direction Rate Time Distance
Downstream 12 t 12t
Upstream 4 1 - t 4(1 - t)

 Equation:
The distances downstream and upstream are equal, so:
12t = 4(1 - t)
12t = 4 - 4t
16t = 4
t = 4/16 = 0.25 hours (15 minutes)

Example 4: Mike and Joy

 Problem: Mike leaves 6 hours before Joy, traveling at 2 mph. Joy travels at 8 mph. How long will it take
Joy to catch up with Mike?
 Table Setup:

Person Rate Time Distance

Mike 2 t + 6 2(t + 6)
Joy 8 t 8t

 Equation:
2(t + 6) = 8t
2t + 12 = 8t
12 = 6t
t = 2 hours
Joy catches up with Mike after 2 hours.

Summary of Steps:

1. Write down what you know (rates, times, distances).

2. Use a table to organize the information.
3. Write an equation using Distance = Rate × Time.
4. Solve the equation to find the unknown.

Practice:

1. A is 60 miles from B. An automobile at A starts for B at the rate of 20 miles an hour at the same time that an
automobile at B starts for A at the rate of 25 miles an hour. How long will it be before the automobiles meet?

2. Two automobiles are 276 miles apart and start at the same time to travel toward each other. They travel at rates
differing by 5 miles per hour. If they meet after 6 hours, find the rate of each.

3. Two trains travel toward each other from points which are 195 miles apart. They travel at rate of 25 and 40
miles an hour respectively. If they start at the same time, how soon will they meet?
Lesson 1.6 notes – 2.0 + practice
4. A and B start toward each other at the same time from points 150 miles apart. If A went at the rate of 20 miles
an hour, at what rate must B travel if they meet in 5 hours?

5. A passenger and a freight train start toward each other at the same time from two points 300 miles apart. If the
rate of the passenger train exceeds the rate of the freight train by 15 miles per hour, and they meet after 4 hours,
what must the rate of each be?