Question 215608: I am in remedial math and a word problem on my math test that I am not sure what the answer was and it was a word problem and I thought I read it right and worked it out but did not make sense. Can you help me. The question was the difference between a number and 9 is the same as 35 less than the number. I could not find the number. Could you help me.
Lynsey
Found 2 solutions by stanbon, RAY100:
Answer by stanbon(75887)   (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! the difference between a number and 9 is the same as 35 less than the number
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Equation:
Let the number be "x":
9-x = x-35
2x = 9+35
2x = 44
x = 22
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Note: You have to use 9-x for the difference.
If you use x-9 as the difference you get
x-9 = x-35 which is a contradiction.
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Comment: That is not really a good problem because
of the ambiguity in sybolizing "the difference
between a number and 9".
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Cheers,
Stan H.
Answer by RAY100(1637) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! When we do a word problem,,we are looking for two things
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(1) the operations required(add, subtract, multiply,,divide,etc...)
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(2) the number to use,,,,(often we use simpler numbers to define the operation,then substitute the "real" numbers.
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Key words in this problem include,,,"is the same as" or equals (=)
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"difference" or subtraction(-)
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" less than" or also subtraction(-)
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Let x = number
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Now just write the sentence
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x-9 = 35 -x,,,,,,,add x,,, add 9,,,to both sides
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2x = 44,,,,,,divide by 2
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x=22
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check,,22-9 =35-22 = 13,,,,ok
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