CHAPTER 5

Word Problems in Real-Life Situation

5-1. Solving Word Problems Using Linear Models

In SAT verbal problems, the construction of mathematical models that represent real-world scenarios is a
critical skill. Linear equations can be used to model many types of real life situation word problems, such
as cost, profit, speed, distance and time problems. To solve the verbal problems, you need to interpret the
situation described in the problem into an equation, then solve the problem by solving the equation.

Plan for Solving a Word Problem

1. Find out what numbers are asked for from the given information.
2. Choose a variable to represent the number(s) described in the problem. Sketch or a chart may be helpful.
3. Write an equation that represents relationships among the numbers in the problem.
4. Solve the equation and find the required numbers.
5. Answer the original question. Check that your answer is reasonable.

A linear function = y mx + b can be used as a model for many types of real life word problems which
involve a constant rate of change.

Example 1 □ A person travels home from work at a constant speed. Ten minutes after leaving
work he is 20 miles from home, and 20 minutes after leaving work he is 12 miles
from home. If he continues to travel at the same speed, how long will it take him
to arrive home from work?

Solution □ 1. The problem asks for the number of minutes it takes to travel from work to home.
2. Start with the linear equation =
y mx + b , in which y is the distance in miles from
home, and x is the time in minutes.
=
3. When =
x 10, y 20.
=
When =
x 20, y 12.
4. =
20 10m + b First equation
=
12 20m + b Second equation
By subtracting the second equation from the first equation we get
8 = −10m .
8 −10m
= Divide each side by −10 .
−10 −10
4
m= − Simplify.
5
4 4
20 = 10(− ) + b Substitute m = − into the first equation.
5 5
20 =−8 + b Simplify.

b = 28 Simplify.
4 4
y= − x + 28 Replace m with − and b with 48 .
5 5
4
0= − x + 28 When he arrives home, y = 0 .
5
x = 35 Solve for x .
5. It takes 35 minutes from work to home.
78 Chapter 5

Exercises - Problem Solving Using Linear Models

1 4
At the beginning of a trip, the tank of Chloe’s To join Eastlake Country Club one must pay d
car was filled with 12 gallons of gas. When she dollars for a one time membership fee and pay
travels constantly on the highway 60 miles per w dollars for a monthly fee. If the first month is
hour, the car consumes 1 gallon of gas per 35 free for the club, what is the total amount, y ,
miles. If she traveled 5 hours and 15 minutes on
x months after a person joined the club, in terms
the highway with a constant speed of 60 miles
per hour, how many gallons of gas are left in the of d , w , and x ?
tank?
A) y= wx − 1 + d
A) 3
B) y= w( x − 1) + d
B) 4
C) y= d ( x − 1) + w
C) 5
D) 6 D) y = dx − 1 + w

2 5
A rock climber is climbing up a 450 feet high
From 1990 to 2000 The population of city A rose
cliff. By 9:30 AM. the climber reached 90 feet
from 12,000 to 28,000 and the population of city B
up the cliff and by 11:00 AM he has reached
rose from 18,000 to 24,000. If the population of the
210 feet up the cliff. If he climbs with a constant
two cities increased at a constant rate, in what year
speed, by what time will he reach the top of the
was the population of both cities the same?
cliff?

A) 1:45 PM
B) 2:00 PM
C) 2:15 PM
D) 2:30 PM

3 6
In 2005 a house was purchased for $280,000 and An empty 1,200 gallon tank is filled with water
in 2013 it was sold at $334,000. Assuming that at a rate of 6 gallons of water per minute. At the
the value of the house increased at a constant same time, another 1,200 gallon tank full of water
annual rate what will be the price of the house in is being drained at a rate of 9 gallons per minute.
the year 2018? How many minutes will it take for the amount of
water in both tanks to become the same?
A) $354,250
B) $361,000
C) $367,750
D) $374,500
 Word Problems in Real-Life Situation 79

5-2. Solving Word Problems Using Equations

Cost, Profit, and Value Problems
=
Total value number of items × value per item
=
Profit selling cost − buying cost

Example 1 □ A music store owner purchased x compact discs for $6.50 each. He sold all but
19 of them for $12.00 each. If he made a profit of $564.00 from the compact discs,
what is the value of x ?

Solution □ 1. The problem asks for the value of x .

2. x is given as the number of compact discs purchased.
3. Selling cost =number of items sold × value per item =( x − 19) × 12
Buying cost = number of items bought × value per item = x × 6.50
Profit = selling cost − buying cost = ( x − 19) × 12 − 6.5 x

4. 564 = ( x − 19) × 12 − 6.5 x

564 = 12 x − 228 − 6.5 x = 5.5 x − 228
792 = 5.5x
x = 144
5. The number of compact discs purchased is 144.

Distance, Rate, and Time Problems

total distance d total distance d
= rate × time , d = rt
Distance Average speed = , r= Average time = , t=
total time t average speed r

Example 2 □ Carl drove from his home to the beach at a speed of 50 mph and returned home
along the same route at a speed of 30mph. If his total driving time for the trip was
two hours, how many minutes did it take him to drive from his home to the beach?

Solution □ 1. The problem asks for the time it took for Carl to drive to the beach.
2. Let t = the time in hours it took for Carl to drive to the beach.
Then 2 − t = the time spent for the return trip.
Make a chart and a sketch showing the given facts.

Rate × Time =
Distance Going out
50t
Going out 50 t 50t
30(2 − t )
2−t Returning
Returning 30 30(2 − t )

3. =
50t 30(2 − t ) The distance going out = the distance returning.
50=
t 60 − 30t Distributive Property
80t = 60 Add 30t on each side.
60 3
4.=
t = hours Solve for t .
80 4
3 3
5. It took Carl hours, or × 60 =
45 minutes, to drive from his home to the beach.
4 4
80 Chapter 5

Exercises - Problem Solving with Equations

1 4
1
Distance to Finish Line David used of his monthly salary for groceries
(meters) 10
Jason −8t + 200
3
and of his remaining money for his car
18
Mary −7.5t + 200 payment. He also paid twice as much money for
rent as for his car payment. If David has $1,620
Jason and Mary are running on a 200 meter track. left after paying for groceries, car payment, and
The expressions in the table above show the rent, how much is his monthly salary?
distance to the finish line t seconds after they
started the race. How many meters will Mary have A) $3,240
left to finish the race when Jason is on the finish
line? B) $3,320
C) $3,480
A) 10.5 meters D) $3,600
B) 11.5 meters
C) 12.5 meters
D) 13.5 meters
5
In a school election, 680 students voted for one
2 of two candidates for president. If the winner
received 120 more votes than the loser, how many
At a bagel shop the first 6 bagels purchased cost votes did the winner receive?
55 cents apiece, and additional bagels cost c
cents apiece. If a customer paid $5.70 for 12
bagels, what is the value of c ?

A) 25
B) 30
C) 35
D) 40
6

3
3 If a gas tank contains 15 liters of gas and is full,
8
Manny bought c candies at a price of 70 cents how many additional liters of gas are needed to fill
each. He sold all but k candies at a price of up the tank?
$1.25, and made a profit of p dollars. Which of
the following represents p in terms of c and k ?

A) =
p 1.25(c − k ) − 0.7c

B)=p 1.25c − 0.7 k

C) p = 1.25c − 0.7(c − k )

D) =
p 1.25(c − k ) − 0.7 k
Word Problems in Real-Life Situation 81

5-3. Solving Word Problems Using Systems of Equations

A problem involving two unknown quantities can be solved by using a system of equations.

Example 1 □ At a museum, Elly bought 3 student tickets and 2 adult tickets for $29.00. At the
same museum Samantha bought 5 student tickets and 4 adult tickets for $54.00.
How much does one student ticket and one adult ticket cost?

Solution □ 1. The problem asks for the cost of one student ticket plus one adult ticket.
2. Let s = the price of student ticket and
and a = the price of adult ticket.

{
3. number of }{ ⋅ price of
student ticket student ticket }{ }{
+ number of ⋅ price of
adult ticket adult ticket } = total cost
3s + 2a = 29 First equation
5s + 4a = 54 Second equation
4. −6 s − 4a = −58 First equation multiplied by −2 .
5s + 4a = 54 Second equation
By adding the two equations we get − s =−4 or s = 4 .
Substitute s = 4 in the first equation.
3(4) + 2a = 29
12 + 2a = 29
2a = 17
a = 8.5
5. s + a = 4 + 8.5 = 12.5
The cost of one student ticket and one adult ticket is $12.50.

Example 2 □ On the second weekend of July, Eric hiked 10 less than twice the number of
miles that he hiked on the first weekend of July. In these two weeks he hiked
a total of 38 miles. How many miles did he hike on the first weekend?

Solution □ 1. The problem asks for the number of miles Eric hiked on the first week of July.
2. Let f = the number of miles Eric hiked on the first week
and s = the number of miles Eric hiked on the second week.

{ }{
3. number of miles hiked = 10 miles less than twice the number
on the second weekend of miles he hiked on the first weekend }
{total number of miles hiked in the two weekends} = 38
=
s 2 f − 10 First equation
f +s =38 Second equation
4. f + (2 f − 10) =
38 =s 2 f − 10 is substituted to the
second equation.
3 f − 10 = 38 Simplify.
3 f − 10 + 10 = 38 + 10 Add 10 to each side.
3 f = 48 Simplify.
f = 16 Divide each side by 3.

5. Eric hiked 16 miles on the first weekend.

82 Chapter 5

Exercises - Solving Word problems Using Systems of Equations

1 4
Adam and Betty purchased a printer together for In a car dealership, all of the vehicles are either
$258. If Adam paid $18 less than twice Betty, a sedan or a SUV. If 36 sedans are sold and 36
how much money did Adam pay for the printer? SUVs are added, there will be an equal number
of sedans and SUVs. If 8 SUVs are sold and 8
A) 172 sedans are added, there will be twice as many
sedans as SUVs. How many sedans were at the
B) 166 dealership before any vehicle was sold?
C) 158
D) 146 A) 132
B) 144
C) 156
D) 168

2
There are 28 tables for customers at Mesa Grill
Restaurant. The tables are either two-seat tables
or four-seat tables. When all the tables are full,
there will be 90 customers in the restaurant. How
many two-seat tables are at the restaurant?
5

A) 11 At a coffee shop, a 16 ounce bag of coffee is on

sale at $5.25 less than the regular price. The cost
B) 13 of 4 bags of coffee at regular price is the same as
C) 15 the cost of 6 bags of coffee at sale price. Let r be
the regular price of coffee and s be the sale price
D) 17 of coffee. Which of the following systems of
equations can be used to find the values of
variables r and s ?

 s= r − 16
A) 
3 r = 6s
In a basketball, a field goal is either 2 or 3 points.  s= r − 5.25
In a college basketball tournament, Jim made 73 B) 
more 2-point field goals than 3-point field goals.  4r = 16
If he scored a total of 216 goals in the tournament
 s= r − 5.25
how many 3-point field goals did he make? C) 
 4r = 6 s
A) 12  s= r + 5.25
D) 
B) 14  4r = 6 s
C) 16
D) 18