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09 Word Problem Modeling

The document provides a guide on how to effectively model word problems into equations, tables, or cases while maintaining the meaning of the quantities involved. It emphasizes the importance of restating the problem, naming unknowns, and checking answers against the original context. Additionally, it includes practice problems with solutions to illustrate the modeling techniques discussed.

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4 views2 pages

09 Word Problem Modeling

The document provides a guide on how to effectively model word problems into equations, tables, or cases while maintaining the meaning of the quantities involved. It emphasizes the importance of restating the problem, naming unknowns, and checking answers against the original context. Additionally, it includes practice problems with solutions to illustrate the modeling techniques discussed.

Uploaded by

brucetool
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Word Problem Modeling

How to turn contest word problems into equations, tables, and organized cases without losing the meaning of the quantities.

Model Before Solving


- Restate what the problem asks for in your own words.
- Name the unknown quantity before writing equations.
- Write down constraints such as positive integer, less than 100, or exactly three choices.

Choose a Representation
- Equation: best when one unknown controls the problem.
- Table: best when quantities change step by step.
- Casework: best when there are restrictions or categories.
- Diagram: best for geometry, movement, and spatial relationships.

Quality Check
- After solving, check the answer in the original story, not just in the equation.
- Estimate to see whether the answer is too big or too small.
- Watch for unit mismatch: minutes versus hours, cents versus dollars, radius versus diameter.

Original study handout - created for personal AMC 8 / AMC 10 preparation Word Problem Modeling - page 1
Original Practice Problems
1. A movie ticket costs $8 for a child and $12 for an adult. A family buys 2 child tickets and 3 adult tickets.
What is the total cost?

2. A number of pencils is shared equally among 5 students with 2 pencils left over. Which of these could be
the number of pencils: 27, 28, 29, 30?

3. A runner goes 2 miles every 15 minutes. How many miles does she run in 1 hour?

4. A box has 4 more red balls than blue balls. There are 20 balls total. How many blue balls are there?

5. The perimeter of a rectangle is 30. Its length is 3 more than its width. What is the width?

Answer Key and Short Hints


1. $52. Compute 2 x 8 + 3 x 12.
2. 27. It leaves remainder 2 when divided by 5.
3. 8 miles. One hour has four 15-minute periods.
4. 8. Let blue = b, red = b+4, so 2b+4=20.
5. 6. Let width = w and length = w+3. Then 2w + 2(w+3)=30.

Original study handout - created for personal AMC 8 / AMC 10 preparation Word Problem Modeling - page 2

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