How to Solve Word Problems

WRITE AN EQUATION
You bought a magazine for $5 and four
erasers. You spent a total of $29. How
much did each eraser cost?

• 5 + x = 29
• -5 - 4x = -29
• 5x = 29
• 29 - 5 = -4x

WRITE AN EQUATION
For a field trip 4 students rode in cars and the rest filled nine buses. How many students were in each bus if 472 students were on the trip?

• 4x=472
• 9x=472
• 4+9x=472
• 4+x=472

After paying $5.12 for a salad, Norachai has $27.10. How much money did he have before buying the salad?

• n + $5.12 = $27.10
• n - $5.12 = $27.10
• n - $5.12 = -$27.10
• $5.12 - n = $27.10

How many boxes of envelopes can you buy with $12 if one box costs $3?

• 3n = -12
• n/3 = 12
• 3-n = 12
• -3n = -12

Todd caught three times as many fish this year than last year. He caught 63 fish by the end of the year. Which algebraic equation represents how many fish he caught last year? 

• 3f = 63
• 63 - 3 = f
• 63/3 = f
• 3 + f = 63

WRITE AN EQUATION
Aliyah had $24 to spend on seven pencils. After buying them she had $10. How much did each pencil cost?

• 24 - 10 = -7x
• 24 - 7x = 10
• -24 - 7x = -10
• 10 + x = 24

Diego scores 11 more points than Travis.  Together they score 21 points.  How many points did each person score?

• Diego: 11,   Travis: 10
• Diego:  10,  Travis:  11
• Diego: 5,  Travis:  16
• Diego:  16, Travis:  5

472 students are going on a field trip.  120 students will be returning home and the rest will be spending the night in cabins. If a cabin sleeps 8 people, how many cabins need to be rented?

• 4 cabins
• 44 cabins
• 59 cabins
• 74 cabins

Maria has 25 dollars.  She has to buy a gallon of milk which costs $3.50.  She wants to spend the rest of her money on cereal.  If each box of cereal costs $4.50, how many can she purchase?

• 4 boxes
• 5 boxes
• 6 boxes
• 7 boxes

Rachel and Sharon are splitting up their Pokemon cards.  Rachel has 4 fewer than 3 times as many as Sharon.  Together they have 100 cards.  Which equation could be used to solve for how many cards Sharon had originally?

• n + (3n - 4) = 100
• n - (3n - 4) = 100
• n + (4 - 3n) = 100
• 4 - 3n = 100