Set Up Equations Word Problems

Cole is doing a basketball challenge for charity. In order to win money for the charity, he needs to score at least 20 points in less than 10 shots. If x is the number of 2-point shots, and y is the number of three point shots, which inequalities below represent the situation?

• x + y < 10

  2x + 3y ≥ 20

• x + y ≤ 10

  2x + 3y ≥ 20

• x + y ≤ 10

  2x + 3y > 20

• x + y < 10

  2x + 3y > 20

JoAnn likes her job as a baby-sitter, but it pays only $3 per hour. She has been offered a job as a tutor that pays $6 per hour. Because of school, her parents only allow her to work a maximum of 15 hours per week. How many hours can JoAnn tutor and baby-sit and still make at least $66 per week? How much does she make?

• b + t < 15
  3b + 6t > 66

• b + t > 15
  3b + 6t < 66

• 3b + 6t > 15
  b + t < 66

• 3b + 6t < 15
  b + t < 66

Luka and Dana are making cookies for the Westland Pantry. They only have up to 6 hours to bake! They can bake 32 chocolate chip cookies in an hour (x), and 20 snickerdoodle cookies in an hour (y). They need to make at least 150 cookies. Which inequalities represent the situation?

• x + y ≥ 6
  32x + 20y ≤ 150

• x + y ≥ 632
  x + 20y ≥ 150

• x + y ≤ 6
  32x + 20y ≤ 150

• x + y ≤ 6
  32x + 20y ≥ 150

Homer sells tickets for admission to your school play and collects a total of $104. Admission prices are $6 for adults and $4 for children. He sold 21 tickets total. To solve, I graphed: x + y = 21 6x + 4y = 104 I got an intersection point at (10,11). What does that mean in context of the problem?

• There are 10 adults and 11 children.

• There are 11 adults and 10 children.

• The adults are $10 and the children are $11.

• There are 104 adults and 21 children.

The cost of 5 squash and 2 zucchini is $1.32. Three squash and 1 zucchini cost $0.75. Write a system of equations.

• 5q + 2z = 1.32
  1z = 0.75

• 5q + 2z = 1.32
  3q + 1z = 0.75

• q + z = 1.32
  q + z = 0.75

• 5q + 2z = 0.75
  3q + 1z = 1.32

A water tank (t) holds 256 gallons but is leaking at a rate of 3 gallons (g) per week. A second water tank (t) holds 384 gallons but is leaking at a rate of 5 gallons (g) per week. After how many weeks will the amount in the two tanks be the same?

• 3g + 5g = 640

  W = 256 + 384

• W = 256 - 3g

  W = 384 - 5g

• W = 256 + 3g

  W = 384 + 5g

Answer explanation

Remember that decreasing will be subtraction.

John was 20 feet away and was running 5 feet per minute. Alex was 50 feet away and was 3 feet per minute. Write a system of two equations for this situation?

• y = 5x + 20

  y = 3x + 50

• y = 20x + 5

  y = 50x + 3

• y = 5x + 50

  y = 2x + 20

• y = 50x + 5

  y = 20x + 3

Mr. Riley bought 8 tickets to a chili supper and spent a total of $30. He bought a combination of adult tickets for $5 each and child tickets $3 each. Which system of equations below will determine the number of child tickets, c, and the number of adult tickets, a, he bought?

• y = 8x + 30

  y = 5x + 3

• a + c = 8

  3a + 5c = 30

• 5a + 3c = 8

  a + c = 30

• 5a + 3c = 30

  a + c = 8

Nancy went to the grocery story. On Monday she purchased 4 apples and 6 bananas for a total of $13. On Wednesday she purchased 3 apples and 7 bananas for a total of $13.50. Which system of equations represents the situation?

• 4x + 6y = 3

  13.5x - 13y = 6

• x + y = 4

  x - y = 6

• 4x + 6y = 13

  3x + 7y = 13.5

• y = 10x + 13

  y = 10x + 13.50

Your family goes to a restaurant for dinner. There are 6 people in your family. Some order the chicken dinner for $14.80, and some order steak for $17. If the total bill was $91, which system best represents the situation? 

• x + y = 6
  14.80x + 17y = 91

• x + y = 91
  14.80x + 17y = 6

• x + y = 6
  91y + 17x = 14.80

• x + y = 91
  14.80x+ 17y = 6