About Soroban Expertise I have a systematic and orderly way to organize the facts in a word problem, which (usually) leads clearly to the necessary equation. I think I can help with all types of word problems.
Experience 38 years of teaching college-level math, mostly at a two-year college.
Education/Credentials BS and MS in mathematics, SUNY Albany
Expert: Soroban Date: 2/14/2008 Subject: multi step word problem
Question Please help me set up the equation to solve the following Algebra word problem:
A Pager Company charges a $25 set-up fee plus a $6.50 monthly charge. Cheaper Beeper charges $8.00 per month with no set up fee. Set up an inequality to determine how long one would need to have the pager until the first pager plan would be the less expensive one.
Thank you
Answer Hello, Nicole!
Let x = number of months.
Plan A costs: 25 + 6.50x dollars
Plan B costs: 8x dollars
We want: Plan A < Plan B
So we have: 25 + 6.50x < 8x
Then we have: -1.50x < -25
Finally: x > 25/1.5 = 50/3 = 16 2/3
It takes almost 17 months for Plan A be cheaper.
.
