document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1133195>Question 1133195</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Walmart has a bike on sale for $150. The sign next to it says that the price is $25 off the original price. What is the original price? Define the variable and equation for the situation. Solve the equation.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "_______________________________________________________________________\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "This question is from my son's Math test. His answer is as follows:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Let x = original price<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x = 150 + 25; x = 175.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "His teacher marked it wrong and wrote the equation as x - 25 = 150.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "I don't see how the equation my son wrote is wrong? Could you please help me understand? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #750360 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Boreal><B>Boreal(15235)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Boreal><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=Boreal><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=750360\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Basically, he did it fine, but I think the teacher may have wanted him to set up the variable and take $25 off it.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x=the original price<BR>\n" );
document.write( "25 off the original price is x-25<BR>\n" );
document.write( "That is equal to $150<BR>\n" );
document.write( "so x-25=$150, and x+$150+$25, or $175.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "I would at least give partial credit.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "The purpose of this type of problem is to make students define the variable and set up the equation for more complex problems.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "If the bicycle is on sale for $150, and it is 25% off the original price, what was the original price?  One can do that in one's head, perhaps, but it is much easier to make a mistake.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x=orignal price, so 0.75x-sale price.  The sale price is $200, so 0.75x=$150, x=$200.  That is a lot easier (faster and safer, too) than guessing and checking.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "A lot of word problems can be dealt with in many ways.  If there is a problem about 25% off, that can mean 75% of the original OR, one can calculate the 25% off and subtract it from the original amount. Both of those ways are acceptable.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Sometimes, it is easier to do one way than the other.  Alex is 4 years less than twice as old as Bob.  Here, Bob is the youngest, so let his age be x, not Alex's age, where Bob will be some fractional amount of age.  If Bob is x then Alex is 2x-4, which is 4 fewer than twice as much. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );