Republic of the Philippines

UNIVERSITY OF ANTIQUE
Sibalom, Antique

COLLEGE OF MARITIME STUDIES

cms@[Link]

Module in NGEC 9
Chapter I – ALGEBRA

This module introduces basic algebra concepts essential for maritime studies. Students
will learn to use algebraic expressions and equations to solve problems related to navigation,
ship speed, fuel consumption, and cargo weight calculations.

Objectives:
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
 Understand and use algebraic expressions and variables.
 Identify and formulate systems of linear equations from marine-related scenarios.
 Solve systems of linear equations using substitution, and elimination methods.
 Interpret the solution in the context of marine transportation (e.g., fuel distribution,
navigation planning).
 Apply mathematical reasoning to make operational decisions based on system solutions.

Algebra is a branch of mathematics that uses symbols and letters (called

variables) to represent numbers and quantities in formulas and equations. It helps us to
model, analyze, and solve real-world problems, especially when dealing with unknown
values.
An algebraic expression is a mathematical phrase that includes numbers, variables
(letters), and operations (like +, −, ×, ÷).
Example: 3x + 5 ⇒ x is a variable that can represent any number.

In maritime studies, algebra is used to:

 Calculate distance, speed, and time for navigation.
 Determine fuel consumption over a voyage.
 Balance cargo loads for ship stability.
 Solve systems of equations in marine engineering systems.
 Program and control automated ship systems.

Review:
1. Fundamental operations on integers and polynomial
2. Removing grouping symbols.
3. Rules of powers and exponents
A. Systems of Linear Equations
1. Substitution
Substitution is a method used to solve systems of equations (two or more equations
with two or more unknowns). The idea is to solve one equation for one variable and then
substitute that expression into the other equation(s). This lets you find the value of one
variable at a time.
Example 1
Equations:
y=2x+1
3x+y=10
Solution (Substitution):
Substitute y = 2x + 1 into the second equation:
3x+(2x+1)=10
5x+1=10
5x=9
𝟗
x=
𝟓
Now find y:
9 18 5 𝟐𝟑
y=2( )+1= + =
5 5 5 𝟓
9 23
Solution: x= , y=
5 5
Example 2
Equations:
x=y-4
2x+y=5
Solution:
Substitute x = y-4 into the second equation:
2(y - 4)+y = 5
2y – 8+y=5
3y = 13
𝟏𝟑
y=
𝟑
Find x:
13 13−12 𝟏
x= -4= =
3 3 𝟑
1 13
Solution: x= , y=
3 3
Application
1. A tugboat travels 48 nautical miles downstream in 3 hours and returns the same
distance upstream in 4 hours. What is the speed of the tugboat downstream and upstream?
Given:
 Distance downstream = 48 nautical miles
 Time downstream = 3 hours
 Distance upstream = 48 nautical miles
 Time upstream = 4 hours
Let:
 x = boat speed in still water (knots)
 y = current speed (knots)
Equations:
48
 Downstream speed: x+y = =16 → (1)
3
 48
 Upstream speed: x−y= =12 → (2)
4
Substitute Equation (2) into (1)
From (2):
x = y + 12
Substitute into (1):
(y+12)+y=16⇒2y+12=16⇒2y=4⇒y=2
Now find x:
x=2+12=14
2. A marine vessel is equipped with two auxiliary engines, Engine A and Engine B, used to
generate power during voyages.
• Engine A and Engine B were used together for 4 hours during a short voyage.
• Together, they consumed 1,000 liters of fuel in that time.
Later, during separate maintenance tests:
• Engine A ran alone for 5 hours and consumed 500 liters of fuel.
• Engine B ran alone for 4 hours and consumed 600 liters of fuel.

Question:
Determine the hourly fuel consumption rate of each engine.
Let:
• x = Engine A's fuel consumption rate (liters/hour)
• y = Engine B's fuel consumption rate (liters/hour)
From the maintenance tests:
Engine A: 5 hours → 500 liters 5𝑥=500 ⇒ 𝑥=100
Engine B: 4 hours → 600 liters 4𝑦=600 ⇒ 𝑦=150
From the joint operation:
Together for 4 hours → 4𝑥+4𝑦=1000
4(100)+4(150)=400+600 = 1000
Cargo Loading
A vessel needs to distribute a total of 100 tons of cargo into two holds. Hold A can carry
only 60 tons max, Hold B can carry only 50 tons. The cargo must be distributed such that
the ship maintains balance: Hold A must carry twice the weight of Hold B.

Let x = weight in Hold A, y = weight in Hold B.

Set up the system:
Total cargo:
• x+y=100
Balance condition:
• x=2y
Solve using substitution.
Substitute x=2y into the total cargo equation:
Total cargo:
 x+y=100
 2y+y=100
 3y=100
 𝒚 ≈ 𝟑𝟑. 𝟑𝟑 ̅
Then: x = 2y
= 2(33.33̅)
x = 𝟔𝟔. 𝟔𝟔
̅
2. Elimination
Example 1
Equations:
2x+3y=12
4x−3y=6
Add the equations to eliminate y:
(2x+3y)+(4x−3y)=12+6
6x=18⇒x=3
Substitute x = 3 into the first equation:
2(3)+3y=12⇒6+3y=12⇒3y=6⇒y=2
Solution: x=3, y=2

Example 2:
Equations:
x+2y=8
3x+2y=14
Subtract the first equation from the second:
(3x+2y)−(x+2y)=14−8
2x=6⇒x=3
Substitute x = 3 into the first equation:
𝟓
3+2y=8⇒2y=5⇒y=
𝟐
5
Solution: x=3, y=
2

Application
1. A vessel has two engines (Engine A and Engine B). Engine A consumes 3 tons of fuel per
hour. Engine B consumes 5 tons of fuel per hour. The vessel used 38 tons of fuel in 8
hours of total engine operation time. How many hours did each engine run?

Let:
x= hours Engine A ran
y= hours Engine B ran

• Total hours: x + y = 8
• Total fuel: 3x + 5y = 38
Solve using elimination
• From the first equation: x=8−y
• Multiply the first equation by 3: 3x + 3y = 24
Now subtract this from the second equation:
(3x + 5y) - (3x + 3y) = 38 - 24 ⇒ 2y = 14 ⇒y = 7
Substitute y = 7 back into x + y = 8:
x+7=8⇒x=1
2. A vessel travels 30 nautical miles downstream in 2 hours and returns upstream in 3 hours.
Find the boat speed in still water and the speed of the current.
Let:
• x = boat speed in still water (knots)
• y = speed of the current (knots)
Equations:
 Downstream speed = x + y
Upstream speed = x - y
30
=2⇒x+y=15 (1)
𝑥+𝑦
30
=3⇒x-y=10 (2)
𝑥−𝑦
Solve by Elimination:
Add (1) and (2):
(x+y)+(x−y)=15+10⇒2x=25⇒ x = 12.5
Substitute into (1):
12.5+y=15 ⇒ y = 2.5
A cargo officer is loading two types of containers onto a vessel:
• Type A containers weigh 4 tons each.
• Type B containers weigh 6 tons each.
He loads a total of 80 containers, and the combined weight is 400 tons.
How many containers of each type were loaded?
Let:
• x = number of Type A containers
• y = number of Type B containers
We are given:
Total number of containers: x+y=80
Total weight: 4x+6y=400
Solve Equation 1 for x:
x = 80 – y
Substitute into Equation 2:
4(80−y)+6y=400
320−4y+6y=400
2y=80⇒y=40
Then:
x = 80 - 40 = 40

B. Word Problems and Formula Rearrangement

A. Speed, Distance, and Time

𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒
𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 = 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 = 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑥 𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 =
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑
Units:
 Distance: Nautical Miles (NM)
 Speed: Knots (kn) → 1kn = 1 NM/hr
 Time: Hours (h)

Speed with Time in Minutes

A pilot boat travels 18 nautical miles in 1 hour and 30 minutes. What is the average speed of
the boat in knots?

Solution:
First, convert time to hours:
1 hour and 30 minutes=1.5 hours1
𝟏𝟖 𝒏𝒎
Speed= =12 knots
𝟏.𝟓 𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔
Answer: 12 knots

Navigating with Currents

A ship is sailing in still water at a speed of 18 knots. It encounters an ocean current
flowing in the same direction at 3 knots. How long will it take the ship to cover a distance of
72 nautical miles?
Solution:
When the current is in the same direction, we add the current speed to the ship's speed:
Effective speed=18 knots+3 knots=21 knots
distance 72nm
Time = = ≈3.43 hours
Speed 21 knots
Answer: Approximately 3.43 hours (or 3 hours and 26 minutes)

Distance with Variable Current

A vessel travels with a current at a speed of 16 knots for 3 hours. During the return trip
against the current, it travels at 12 knots and takes 4 hours. What is the total distance between
the two points?
Solution:
• Distance going with the current:
16 knots×3 hrs=48 nm
• Distance returning against the current:
12 knots×4 hrs=48 nm
Answer: 48 nautical miles one way, 96 nautical miles round trip

B. Fuel Consumption
𝐹𝑢𝑒𝑙 𝑈𝑠𝑒𝑑
𝐹𝑢𝑒𝑙 𝐶𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑢𝑚𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑒 =
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒

𝐹𝑢𝑒𝑙 𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑑 = 𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑥 𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒

𝐹𝑢𝑒𝑙 𝑈𝑠𝑒𝑑
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 =
𝐹𝑢𝑒𝑙 𝐶𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑢𝑚𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑒

 Units: Metric tons/hour, liters/hour, etc.

 Fuel consumption may vary with speed (often non-linear; i.e., doubling speed may more
than double consumption)

Basic Fuel Consumption Rate

A ship consumes 240 liters of fuel over a voyage lasting 6 hours. What is the ship’s
average fuel consumption rate per hour?

Solution:
𝑭𝒖𝒆𝒍 𝑼𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝟐𝟒𝟎 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔
𝑭𝒖𝒆𝒍 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒆 = = = 40 liters/hour
𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝟔 𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔
Answer: 40 liters per hour

Total Fuel Used

 A generator operates for 10 hours, consuming fuel at a rate of 25 liters per hour.
How much fuel is used during this time?

Solution:
Fuel used=Fuel consumption rate×Time
=25 l/hr×10 hrs = 250 liters
Answer: 250 liters

C. Cargo and Stability

Use mass-volume-density relationships:

𝑴𝒂𝒔𝒔 𝑴𝒂𝒔𝒔
𝑫𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒚 = 𝑽𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒆 = 𝑴𝒂𝒔𝒔 = 𝑫𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒙 𝑽𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒆
𝑽𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒚

Load Distribution: Balance of cargo for trim and stability.

Calculating Density of a Liquid Cargo

A tank holds 150 metric tons of vegetable oil occupying 160 cubic meters. What is the
density of the cargo in tons per cubic meter (t/m³)?

Solution:
𝑴𝒂𝒔𝒔 𝟏𝟓𝟎 𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒔
𝑫𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒚 = = = 0.9375 t/𝒎𝟑
𝑽𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒆 𝟏𝟔𝟎 𝒎𝟑
Answer: 0.9375 t/m³

Density and Stability (Seawater vs. Freshwater)

A vessel is floating in freshwater (density = 1.000 t/m³) and then moves to saltwater
(density = 1.025 t/m³). If the vessel displaces 10,000 tonnes in freshwater, what is the new
displacement volume in saltwater?

Note: Displacement (mass) remains the same; only volume changes due to buoyancy.

Solution:
• Displacement mass stays at 10,000 tonnes
• New volume in saltwater:
𝑴𝒂𝒔𝒔 𝟏𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒔
Volume= = 𝟑 = 9756.10 m³
𝑫𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝟏.𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝒕/ 𝒎
. Answer: 9756.10 m³ in saltwater

🔎 This means the vessel will sit slightly higher in saltwater due to higher density, improving
stability slightly.

C. Ratio and Proportion

Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

 1. Define and interpret ratios and proportions.
2. Solve real-world maritime problems involving ratios and proportions.
3. Apply ratios and proportions in contexts such as:

 Fuel consumption
 Cargo distribution
 Navigational scaling
 Engine performance analysis

A ratio is a comparison between two quantities.

Represent ratios as:
 a to b
 a:b
 a/b
Example: 3 pencils and 5 pens → Ratio = 3:5 or 3 to 5 or 3/5

A proportion states that two ratios are equal.

Example:
If 2/3 = 4/6, then 2:3 :: 4:6 is a proportion.

Application
Fuel Consumption Example:
1. Engine A uses 120 L/hr, and Engine B uses 180 L/hr. What is the ratio of their fuel
consumption?
→ 120:180 = 2:3
If both engines run for 6 hours, how much total fuel is used?
→ 6×(120+180)=6×300=1800L

2. Two auxiliary engines, Engine A and Engine B, consume fuel at different rates.
Engine A uses 180 liters/hour, while Engine B uses 240 liters/hour.
They both run for 5 hours.

a. What is the simplified ratio of fuel consumption of Engine A to Engine B?

b. What is the total amount of fuel consumed by both engines in 5 hours?

Solution:

180 3
a. Ratio = = ⇒ Ratio of Engine A to B=3:4
240 4

b. Engine A: 180×5=900 liters

Engine B: 240×5=1200 liters
Total = 900+1200=2100 liters

Distance-Time-Speed Example:
A vessel travels 300 nautical miles in 15 hours. What is the speed ratio compared to
another vessel that travels 200 NM in 10 hours?
→ Speeds: 20 knots and 20 knots → ratio = 1:1
Cargo Distribution
A ship must load 1,200 tons of cargo into three holds in the ratio 3:4:5.
How much cargo should be loaded into each hold?

Solution:
Total parts=3+4+5=12
 Hold 1: 312×1200=300 tons
 Hold 2: 412×1200=400 tons
 Hold 3: 512×1200=500 tons

Freshwater Tank Ratio

A ship’s three freshwater tanks hold water in a 5:3:2 ratio.
If the total water onboard is 20,000 liters, how much is in each tank?
Solution:
20000
Total parts=5+3+2=10 ⇒ 1 part= 10 2000 liters
 Tank A = 5×2000=10,0005 L
 Tank B = 3×2000=6,000 L
 Tank C = 2×2000=4,000 L