Quote:
Originally Posted by
amy07
Solve For b: ax(squared) + bx+c=y.
this means that we want to get b on one side of the equation by itself. so get rid of everything on the same side with b.
.......subtract
from both sides
.........now if
we can divide by it.

Quote:
Three times the larger of 2 consecutive even intergers, decreased by the smaller is 58. Find the numbers.
Let
be the smallest even integer.
Then
is the next even integer.
we are told that 3 times
, subtracting the smaller is 58. thus,
 - n = 58)
now solve for
so you can find the integers.
Quote:
Find 3 consecutive intergers such that the sum of the first two is 74 more than the third.
Let the first integer be 
then the next is 
and the largest is 
the sum of the first two is 74 + the third. thus,
 = 74 + (n + 2))
now solve for
to find the integers
Quote:
A pipe is 48 inches long. David wants to cut the pipe into three pieces so that the second piece is 1 inch less than the length of the third. The first piece is 5 times as long as the third. How long is each piece?
Let
be the length of the first piece,
Let
be the length of the second piece,
Let
be the length of the third piece,
then we have
.................(1)
since the second piece is 1 inch less than the length of the third, we have:

.....................(2)
since the first piece is 5 times as long as the third, we have:

........................(3)
thus we obtain the system:
......................(1)
............................(2)
.............................(3)
now solve this system to get 
if you do not know how to solve simultaneous equations, you can do this in one variable.
Let the length of the third be 
then the length of the second is 
and the length of the first is 
the pieces add up to 48, so:
 + 5a = 48)
now just find
, and then substitute its values into the equation to find the other pieces
Quote:
Ron runs a ski train. One day he noticed that the train contained 13 more women than men *including himself*. If there were a total of 165 people on the train, how many of them were men?
Let's keep this in one variable:
Let the number of men be
.
since the train contained 13 more women than men, the number of women is
.
these must add up to 165 people, thus:
 = 165)
now solve for 