Rate Problems

[Goodstudent]

I am using the Holt Algebra boob and was given a problem, but it was not today's lesson and I can't find any examples to guide me. :?
In don't know how to get the problem started.

Your are traveling from town A to town B. when you start your trip, your odometer reading is 37,538 miles. when yu get to town B, your odometer reading is 37, 781.
a) write an equation relating your inital readin, distance traveled, and final reading_______________
b) Find the distance traveled from town A to town B.

Thanks

goodstudent

 

[mmm4444bot]

Here is an equation that relates the three numbers.

Starting Odometer Reading + Distance Traveled = Ending Odometer Reading

They gave you two of these numbers:

Starting Odometer Reading is 37538

Ending Odometer Reading is 37781

The unknown number is Distance Traveled.

In algebra, we usually pick a symbol to represent unknown numbers. You can pick any symbol you like; I'll use the symbol x.

Let x = Distance Traveled

Can you rewrite the equation in blue above using the two given numbers and the symbol x ?

Do you know how to calculate the distance traveled. In other words, do you know how to find the value of x ?

 

[Mrspi]

I am using the Holt Algebra boob and was given a problem, but it was not today's lesson and I can't find any examples to guide me. :?
In don't know how to get the problem started.

Your are traveling from town A to town B. when you start your trip, your odometer reading is 37,538 miles. when yu get to town B, your odometer reading is 37, 781.
a) write an equation relating your inital readin, distance traveled, and final reading_______________
b) Find the distance traveled from town A to town B.

Thanks

goodstudent

The purpose of an "odometer" is to measure the distance traveled.

Would you agree with this statement?

The beginning number of miles on the odometer, PLUS the number of miles traveled, should be equal to the ending number of miles on the odometer.

In a more abbreviated form, we could write:

beginning odometer reading + number of miles traveled = ending odometer reading

Now...you KNOW the beginning odometer reading. You KNOW the ending odometer reading. You do NOT know the number of miles traveled, so let's call that "x". Substitute these quantities into the above "abbreviated" form:

37538 + x = 37781

That's the equation you need for the first part of your problem. And you need to SOLVE that equation to answer the second part of the problem.

 

[Goodstudent]

I understand now. Thank you.