Math Word Problems Demystified - A Self Teaching Guide

You need not worry whether you are looking for consecutive even or odd

numbers since the problems will always work out correctly. (Textbook

authors have made them up so that they will.)

EXAMPLE:Find three consecutive integers whose sum is 63.

SOLUTION:

GOAL: You are being asked to find three consecutive numbers whose sum

is 63.

STRATEGY: Letx¼the first integer andxþ 1 ¼the second integer and

xþ 2 ¼the third integer. The equation isxþ(xþ1)þ(xþ2)¼ 63

IMPLEMENTATION: Solve the equation:

xþxþ 1 þxþ 2 ¼ 63

3 xþ 3 ¼ 63

3 xþ 3 
 3 ¼ 63 
 3

x¼ 20

xþ 1 ¼ 21

xþ 2 ¼ 22

EVALUATION: Check the answer: 20þ 21 þ 22 ¼ 63

EXAMPLE:If the sum of two consecutive even integers is 42, find the

numbers.

SOLUTION:

GOAL: You are being asked to find two consecutive even integers whose sum

is 42.

STRATEGY: Letx¼the first consecutive integer andxþ 2 ¼the second

consecutive integer; the sum is equal to 42. The equation isxþxþ 2 ¼42.

92 LESSON 9 Solving Number Problems