1. Putting Your Translation Skills To Work
Solving Word Problems
Putting Your Translation Skills To Work

2. Let’s Make A Plan Verbal Model Labels Algebraic Model Solve
Ask yourself what you need to know how to solve the problem.
Labels
This means define the variable
Algebraic Model
Write a math equation or inequality using your labels and verbal model
Solve
Check to make sure your solution makes sense

3. Let’s Try Together
You and some friends are at a Chinese restaurant. You order several $2.00 plates of wontons, egg rolls, and dumplings. Your bill is $25.20, which includes tax of $ Use modeling to find out how many plates you ordered.
Start with a verbal model. What do you know about buying food in the restaurant and how you find your bill.

4. Verbal Model Final verbal model Cost of food + tax = amount paid
How do you determine cost of food?
Each plate costs $2.00 so
# of plates  $2.00 = cost of food
Final verbal model
$2.00  # of plates + tax = amount paid

5. Labels X = number of plates you purchased 2 = amount paid per plate
1.20 = tax paid on food
25.20 = amount paid for food and tax

6. Algebraic Model
Substitute the labels for the words in the verbal model
$2.00  # of plates + tax = amount paid
2x = 25.20

7. Solve it and Check your answer
2x = 25.20
2x =
x =
There were 12 plates of food ordered
2(12) = ?
= √