ANSWER to Word Problems...No Problem!

Yesterday we posted this algebra question from our Algebra Word Problems title.

Coach had the entire track team run 4 laps. When they finished, he had the distance runners run some more laps. Each distance runner ran 40 laps in all. Use an algebraic equation to find how many laps the distance runners ran after the rest of the team had finished running?
 

ANSWER:

laps run with the team + more laps run = laps run in all

4 + r = 40

Subtract 4 from each side of the equation to get the variable, r, by itself. Then do the operations.

4 + r = 40
4 - 4 + r = 40 - 4
r = 36

The distance runners ran 36 more laps after the rest of the team had finished running.

Word Problems...No Problem!

You might not realize it all the time because math isn't always written as a math problem, but math is everywhere! Our new series Math Busters Word Problems helps students understand how algebra is used in word problems using topics, they can relate to. Here's an algebra word problem using addition from our Algebra Word Problems title:

Coach had the entire track team run 4 laps. When they finished, he had the distance runners run some more laps. Each distance runner ran 40 laps in all. Use an algebraic equation to find how many laps the distance runners ran after the rest of the team had finished running?

We'll post the answer tomorrow.