1. ALWAYS use these steps when solving word problems:1.
Problem Solving Steps
ALWAYS use these steps when solving word problems:
What are you trying to find?
What do you know?
Given in the problem?
From formulas and prior knowledge?
3. How will you solve the problem?
4. Did you answer the original question?

2. I DO
Example 1: Let w represent the width of a rectangle. The length of a rectangle is seven times the width. Evaluate the expression and find the length of a rectangle with a width of 15 inches.
Length = 7w inches 2.
Examples
What are you trying to find?
Length of rectangle
What do you know?
Given in the problem?
Length = 7w inches
Units are inches
The width is 15 inches
w = width
From formulas and prior knowledge?
Shape of a rectangle

3. I DO
Example 1: Let w represent the width of a rectangle. The length of a rectangle is seven times the width. Evaluate the expression and find the length of a rectangle with a width of 15 inches.
Length = 7w inches 2.
Examples
3. How will you solve the problem?
Length = 7w inches
Length = 7(15) = 105 inches
Did we answer the original ?
Trying to find length and it is 105 inches

4. WE DO
Example 2: Let w represent the width of a rectangle. The length of a rectangle is five more than two times the width. Evaluate the expression and find the length of a rectangle with a width of 12 inches.
Length = 5 + 2w inches 2.
Examples
What are you trying to find?
Length of rectangle
What do you know?
Given in the problem?
Length = 5 + 2w inches
Units are inches
The width is 12 inches
w = width
From formulas and prior knowledge?
Shape of a rectangle

5. WE DO
Example 2: Let w represent the width of a rectangle. The length of a rectangle is five more than two times the width. Evaluate the expression and find the length of a rectangle with a width of 12 inches.
Length = 5 + 2w inches 2.
Examples
3. How will you solve the problem?
Length = 5 + 2w inches
Length = 5 + 2(12)
= 29 inches
Did we answer the original ?
Trying to find length and it is 29 inches

6. I DO
Example 3: Bart’s uncle is 5 more than four times his age. Let b represent Bart’s age. Write and evaluate an expression for his uncle’s age if Bart is 10 years old. 2.
Examples
What are you trying to find?
Bart’s uncle’s age if he is 10 years old
What do you know?
Given in the problem?
Bart’s uncle is 5 more than 4x his age
b is Bart’s age
Bart is 10 years old
From formulas and prior knowledge?
Age is measured in years

7. I DO
Example 3: Bart’s uncle is 5 more than four times his age. Let b represent Bart’s age. Write and evaluate an expression for his uncle’s age if Bart is 10 years old. 2.
Examples
3. How will you solve the problem?
Bart’s uncle’s age = 5 + 4b
Bart’s uncle’s age = 5 + 4(10)
= 45 years old
Did we answer the original ?
Trying to find uncle’s age and it is 45 yrs old

8. WE DO
Example 4: Abraham J Simpson is 30 less than three times Homer’s age. Let h represent Homer’s age. Write an evaluate an expression for Abraham’s age if Homer is 41. 2.
Examples
What are you trying to find?
Abraham’s age if Homer is 41
What do you know?
Given in the problem?
Abraham is 30 less than 3times Homers age
h is Homer’s age
Homer is 41
From formulas and prior knowledge?
Age is measured in years

9. WE DO
Example 4: Abraham J Simpson is 30 less than three times Homer’s age. Let h represent Homer’s age. Write an evaluate an expression for Abraham’s age if Homer is 41. 2.
Examples
3. How will you solve the problem?
Abraham’s age = 3h – 30
Abraham’s age = 3(41) - 30
123 – 30 = 93 years old
Did we answer the original ?
Trying to find Abraham’s age and it is 93 yrs old

10. 2. I DO Examples MAKE SURE YOU ANSWER THE ACTUAL QUESTION!
Example 5: Vasu is building an aquarium where the base length, in inches, must be 10 more than 3 times the width. Let w represent the width of the aquarium. Find the perimeter of the base of the aquarium if the width is 12 inches. 2.
Examples
MAKE SURE YOU ANSWER THE ACTUAL QUESTION!
What are you trying to find?
Perimeter of the aquarium base
What do you know?
Given in the problem?
Length is 10 more than 3 times width
W is the width
Width is 12 inches
From formulas and prior knowledge?
Perimeter means to add all four sides: 2W + 2L
We can write an expression for length

11. 2. 2. I DO Examples MAKE SURE YOU ANSWER THE ACTUAL QUESTION! Examples
Example 5: Vasu is building an aquarium where the base length, in inches, must be 10 more than 3 times the width. Let w represent the width of the aquarium. Find the perimeter of the base of the aquarium if the width is 12 inches. 2.
Examples
MAKE SURE YOU ANSWER THE ACTUAL QUESTION! 2.
Examples
3. How will you solve the problem?
Length = w
Length = (12)
= 46 inches
Did we answer the original ?
NO! Didn’t find perimeter!
P = 2L + 2W
2(46) + 2(12) = = 116 inches