Basic Mathematics for College Students

1.2 Adding Whole Numbers 21

Success Tip Estimates can be greater than or less than the exact answer. It

depends on how often rounding up and rounding down occurs in the

estimation.

4 Solve application problems by adding whole numbers.

Since application problems are almost always written in words, the ability to
understand what you read is very important.

The Language of Mathematics Here are some key words and phrases that

are often used to indicate addition:

gain increase up forward rise more than

total combined in all in the future altogether extra

EXAMPLE 7

Sharks The graph on
the right shows the number
of shark attacks worldwide
for the years 2000 through

2007. Find the total number
      of shark attacks for those
      years.

Strategy We will carefully
read the problem looking
for a key word or phrase.

WHY Key words and
phrases indicate which
arithmetic operation(s)
should be used to solve the
problem.

Solution
In the second sentence of the problem, the key word total indicates that we should
add the number of shark attacks for the years 2000 through 2007. We can use
vertical form to find the sum.

The total number of shark attacks worldwide for the years 2000 through 2007
was 526.

Add the digits, one column at a time, working from

right to left. To simplify the calculations, we can

look for groups of two or three numbers in each

column whose sum is 10.

5

7

3

9

68

62

57

65

61

63

 71

526

Self Check 7

AIRLINE ACCIDENTSThe numbers

of accidents involving U.S. airlines

for the years 2000 through 2007

are listed in the table below. Find

the total number of accidents for

those years.

2000

Year

2001 2002 2003 20042005 2006 2007

79

68

61 63

71

62 65

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

Number of shark attacks—worldwide 10

57

Year Accidents

2000 56

2001 46

2002 41

2003 54

2004 30

2005 40

2006 33

2007 26

The Language of Mathematics To solve the application problems, we must often

translate the words of the problem to numbers and symbols. To translate means to

change from one form to another, as in translating from Spanish to English.

Now TryProblem 97

Source: University of Florida