Writing Equations from Word Problems

Front

What is a variable in an equation?

Back

A variable is a symbol, often represented by a letter, that stands for an unknown value in an equation.

Front

Define a linear equation.

Back

Front

What does it mean to solve an equation?

Back

To solve an equation means to find the value(s) of the variable(s) that make the equation true.

Front

What is the purpose of writing equations from word problems?

Back

Writing equations from word problems helps to translate real-world situations into mathematical expressions that can be solved.

Front

How do you identify the variables in a word problem?

Back

Identify the quantities that change or are unknown in the problem; these are typically represented by variables.

Front

What is the first step in solving a word problem?

Back

The first step is to read the problem carefully and identify the key information and what is being asked.

Front

How can you represent a situation where one quantity is increasing and another is decreasing?

Back

You can represent this with two equations: one for the increasing quantity and one for the decreasing quantity, then set them equal to find when they are the same.

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Back

Front

What does the slope represent in a linear equation?

Back

The slope represents the rate of change of the dependent variable with respect to the independent variable.

Front

How do you determine when two linear equations are equal?

Back

Set the two equations equal to each other and solve for the variable.