GACE constructed math response (word problems to an algebra equation)

[Tpsych77]

Is racking my brain to see if I solved this problem correctly, please help! Bill has 3X more marbles than Isabel and Isabel has 2/3 less marbles than John.

 

[lookagain]

Is racking my brain

> > > to see if I solved this problem correctly, < < <

please help! Bill has 3X more marbles than Isabel and Isabel has 2/3

less marbles than John.

Then you had better show some of your work (that you referred to)
here first so we can tell if you solved this problem correctly.

 

[Tpsych77]

I know I solved it incorrectly.

However the way tired brain set up was 3x + 2/3x + x = 99. This is clearly incorrect but since I was so tired at the end of the test I thought it was better to put versus nothing. In hindsight I know that the 2/3x should have been subtracted and not added. Please help if you can at least tell me how to set up the problem correctly and be able solve something similar in the future. Than you in advance!!!

 

[Tpsych77]

Still perplexed

Yes its Bill has 3 times more marbles than Isabel and Isabel has two thirds less marbles than John and they all have a combined total of 99 marbles.

 

[pappus]

Yes its Bill has 3 times more marbles than Isabel and Isabel has two thirds less marbles than John and they all have a combined total of 99 marbles.

Not sure that I understand your question correctly but:

Let j denotes the number of John's marbles, then Isable has (2/3) * j marbels and Bill has 3*(2/3)*j = 2j marbles.

According to the text of the question the sum of all marbels is 99:

2j + (2/3)*j + j = 99 ==> (11/3)j = 99

Determine j and consequently the number of marbles owned by Bill and Isabel.

 

[Tpsych77]

I apologize for the original misrepresentation in the math problem and thank you for the feedback, clarity has now come

Here's your original post:
"Is racking my brain to see if I solved this problem correctly, please help!
Bill has 3X more marbles than Isabel and Isabel has 2/3 less marbles than John."

You've confused the issue with 3X (who the heck will realise that you mean 3 times!),
plus you didn't include the total of 99...we were to guess?

i = Isabel's marbles
So Bill's = 3i, John's = 3i/2

i + 3i + 3i/2 = 99

Solve for i

 

[Tpsych77]

Thank you....I wish this had come clear to me during the test. I appreciate your feedback.

Not sure that I understand your question correctly but:

Let j denotes the number of John's marbles, then Isable has (2/3) * j marbels and Bill has 3*(2/3)*j = 2j marbles.

According to the text of the question the sum of all marbels is 99:

2j + (2/3)*j + j = 99 ==> (11/3)j = 99

Determine j and consequently the number of marbles owned by Bill and Isabel.