Defining Variables in Word Problems

Which situation best represents the following equation? 25 + .05x = 50 + .01x

• There are two cell phone companies that charge based on the number of minutes used each month, x. Cellular One charges $50 plus 5 cents per minute. Cellular Plus charges $25 plus 1 cent per minute. How many minutes can be used in one month to make the two companies charge the same amount?

• There are two cell phone companies that charge based on the number of minutes used each month, x. Cellular One charges $25 plus $5 per minute. Cellular Plus charges $50 plus $1 per minute. How many minutes can be used in one month to make the two companies charge the same amount?

• There are two cell phone companies that charge based on the number of minutes used each month, x. Cellular One charges $25 plus 5 cents per minute. Cellular Plus charges $50. How many minutes can be used in one month to make the two companies charge the same amount?

• There are two cell phone companies that charge based on the number of minutes used each month, x. Cellular One charges $25 plus 5 cents per minute. Cellular Plus charges $50 plus 1 cent per minute. How many minutes can be used in one month to make the two companies charge the same amount?

John and Jane went to a bakery to get cookies for a party. Jane bought x cookies that were $3 each. John bought x cookies that were on sale for $1 plus he got a small cake for $10.00. If John and Jane both spent the same amount of money, which equation shows how many cookies, x, they purchased.

• 3x = x + 10

• x = 3x + 10

• 3x + x = 10

• 3x + x + 10 = 0

Joe’s Canoes charges an initial fee of $20 plus $4 an hour. Callie’s Canoes charges a flat rate of $14 an hour. Find the number of hours for which the total amount that both places charge would be the same.

• 3 hours

• 4 hours

• 1 hour

• 2 hours

Mary has been offered two jobs. Job A has a starting salary of $36,000 and a raise of $1500 every year. Job B has a starting salary of $29,000 and a raise of $2500 every year. In how many years would Mary's salary be the same at both companies. What would that salary be?

• 8 years; $46500

• 7 years; $45600

• 8 years; $45600 

• 7 years; $46500 

At a store a carton of eggs costs $2.25 and a package of bacon costs $4.25. At another store eggs cost $2.75 and bacon costs $4.00. If you were to buy one carton of eggs, how many packages of bacon would you have to buy for both stores to cost the same?

• 2

• 4

• 1

• 6

Juan decided to join a gym to get in shape for football. He has two payment options. Option A is to buy a membership card and pay $2 each time he goes to the gym. Option B is to pay $4 each time he goes. A membership card costs $30. After how many times, t, will the cost of Option A be equal to the cost of Option B

• 50

• 20

• 15

• 25

Which situation best represents the following equation? 8.50x > 1000 + 2.50x

• Jose owns the local Comic Store. He sells comics for $8.50 each. His cost each month is $1,000 plus $2.50 per comic. How many comics, x, must he sell each month to make a profit?

• Jose owns the local Comic Store. He sells comics for $2.50 each. His cost each month is $1,000 plus $8.50 per comic. How many comics, x, must he sell each month to make a profit?

• Jose owns the local Comic Store. He sells comics for $2.50 each. His cost each month is $1,000 plus $2.50 per comic. How many comics, x, must he sell each month to make a profit?

• Jose owns the local Comic Store. He sells comics for $8.50 each. His cost each month is $1,000. How many comics, x, must he sell each month to make a profit?

Rhonda bought five shirts from a store and had $10 left. If she had only bought three shirts, she would have had $24 left. If each shirt costs the same, which of the following equations could be used to determine x, the cost of each shirt, in dollars?

• 10 - 5x = 24 - 3x

• 5x + 3x = 10 + 24

• 10 + 5x = 24 +3x

• 5 + 10x = 3 + 24x

If five times a number is subtracted from 27, the result is nine more than four times the number. Which equation can be used to find the value of the number?

• 5(27 - x) = 9 + 4x

• 27 - 5x = 4(9 + x)

• 27 - 5x = 4x + 9

• 5x - 27 = 9 + 4x

Karissa is going water skiing. She can purchase skis for $125 or she can rent skis for $30 an hour. In both cases she must rent a safety flotation device to wear that is $5 per hour. Which inequality shows the number of hours Karissa must ski for the cost of buying skis to be less than renting skis?

• 125 + 5x > 30x

• 125 + 5x < 35x

• 125 + 5x < 30x

• 125 + 5x > 35x