MTH 091 Section 9.5 Formulas and Problem Solving
What Is A Formula? A formula is an equation in which variables are used to describe a relationship. We have two objectives for working with formulas: 1.Solve a formula for one variable, given the values of the other variables 2.Solve a formula for a specified variable
Solving A Formula When Numbers Are Given Similar to evaluating an expression When you substitute the given values into the equation, one variable will be left over. Isolate this variable using the techniques previously discussed
Examples 1.Using the formula d = rt, find the unknown variable if d = 195 and t = 3. 2.Using the formula, find the unknown variable if A = 60, B = 7, and b = 3. 3.The world’s largest sign for Coca-Cola is located in Arica, Chile. The rectangular sign has a length of 400 feet and an area of square feet. Find the width of the sign.
More Examples 4.Using the formula S = 4LW + 2WH, solve for H if S = 300, L = 10, and W = 5. 5.Using the formula P = a + b + c, solve for b if P = 37, a = 15, and c = 9.
Solving A Formula When Numbers Are Not Given Isolate the required variable using the same techniques as when you had numbers. If your formula has a fraction, multiply both sides by the LCD.
Solve each formula for the specified variable. for y for k
More Examples for T for c