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Word Problems/Questions Answered by Expert Abe Mantell
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Math | 1/27/2012 |
| Q: I have 12 fewer nickels than dimes, I have $2.40 A: You did not ask me a question! I gather you want to know how many of each coin you have, yes? If ... | |
| Cost Volume Profit and Break Even Analysis | 1/25/2012 |
| Q: Respected Sir, Hope and wish that this message will catch u in best of health and luck. Sir , ... A: There are many places on the Internet you can go to learn about such things! Here are a few links: ... | |
| Matrix Word Problem | 1/23/2012 |
| Q: tickets to a homecoming football game cost $4 for students, $10 for alumni, $12 for other adults, ... A: Here are the other equations needed: Six times more students than children attended ==> W=6Z The ... | |
| trigonometry | 1/19/2012 |
| Q: A side and a diagonal of a parallelogram are 12 inches and 19 inches respectively. The angle between ... A: Since the diagonals of a parallelogram bisect each other, we can analyze the triangle formed that ... | |
| precalculas | 1/18/2012 |
| Q: The radius of the earth is approximately 4,000 miles. A satellite orbits 5 miles above its surface. ... A: A) I gather you meant "The satellite completes 220th of a revolution around the earth in a day." ... | |
| maths | 12/28/2011 |
| Q: if 240 meter long train,cross a pole in time 24 seconds.then,that train,how much time will take to ... A: The train moved 240 meters in 24 seconds = 10 meters/sec. To pass the 650 meter platform, the train ... | |
| math problem | 8/18/2011 |
| Q: Pump A can fill a tank of water in 5 hours. Pump B can fill the same tank in 8 hours. How long does ... A: Since work = rate * time, and rates are additive... We know Pump A fills at a rate of 1/5 a tank/hr ... | |
| algebra | 8/14/2011 |
| Q: Question i am in a college algebra class and we are working on word problems. the professor gave us ... A: Wow, what college algebra class is in the middle of August?! :-o Anyhow... Let x=your brother's ... | |
| Locks | 8/13/2011 |
| Q: Note: This is not a homework. There are 1000 students in a school. And there're 1000 locks in the ... A: This is a somewhat famous problem. It turns out that only the locker numbers that correspond to ... | |
| Problem Solving | 8/5/2011 |
| Q: David, Sue and Bailey have $360 which they want to divide between themselves. David gets $60 more ... A: Let d = the amount David gets Since David gets 60 more than Sue, we know Sue gets 60 less than David ... | |
| magic squares | 7/24/2011 |
| Q: In a particular Ben Franklin biography I read of Franklin's enjoyment in what he termed 'magic ... A: Here are some links that address Franklin's Magic Squares: ... | |
| newton's law--college algebra | 7/11/2011 |
| Q: Newton’s Law of Heating and Cooling If you put a hot drink in a thermos and set it in a room, what ... A: Sorry for my delay, somehow this went to my Spam folder!!! Anyhow... The model will be: ... | |
| newton's law--college algebra | 7/6/2011 |
| Q: Newton’s Law of Heating and Cooling If you put a hot drink in a thermos and set it in a room, what ... A: 1. let x=1, then y=48e^(-0.2231*1)+82=120.4 degrees . temp. drop = 130-120.4 = 9.6 degrees . x=2, ... | |
| Accounting- theory | 7/4/2011 |
| Q: you have just won the National Publisher's Sweepstakes. You have two options, you can receive ten, ... A: Let's calculate the future value of the payments, after 5 years (even though the last payment will ... | |
| maths problem - Diophantine Equation | 7/3/2011 |
| Q: On checking the Invoice, the result: 100 items bought altogether, 0.79, 1.25, and 1.97 each. They ... A: Let x=the quantity of items bought for 0.79 and y=the quantity bought for 1.25, then ... | |
| Plz help | 6/30/2011 |
| Q: The tribe has grown a wonderful harvest of crops. The chief is very smart and has allocated all the ... A: :-) ), Let x = The original amount... Thus, the chief gave the first family x/2 + 10 ... Which ... | |
| Final Review Question problem | 6/8/2011 |
| Q: Hi. I have been stuck on a word problem for like 3 days now and i was wondering if you can show me ... A: Let x=the number of pounds of cashews, then 0.5-x=the number of pounds of peanuts. This gives the ... | |
| college word problems | 6/4/2011 |
| Q: five house mates hold a party, they agree to share the expenses. Leroy spent $20 on soft drinks. ... A: I gather they are supposed to EQUALLY share the expenses, yes? If so, then... Let's add all the ... | |
| price-wise function | 5/31/2011 |
| Q: Assume you work at a company where you are paid hourly. You are paid $7.80 per hour for regular time ... A: Let x=the number of hrs worked per week, and w(x)=weekly pay (in $'s)... for 0<=x<=35, w(x)=7.80x ... | |
| college word problems | 5/28/2011 |
| Q: Dusty Rhodes is planning to buy a new mountain bike. The different available options are as follows. ... A: Sorry fo rmy delay, all of a sudden, these e-mails go to my "junk folder"!! Anyhow, here's the ... | |
| Algebra 1 | 1/11/2011 |
| Q: The sum of two consecutive integers is less than 55. Find the pair of integers with the greatest ... A: Let x=the smaller number, then x+1=the larger (next) number. Thus, the sum is x+x+1=2x+1...but 2x+1 ... | |
| Algerbra 2 | 1/10/2011 |
| Q: A high diver jumps off a diving platform.The equation that represents the path of the diver is ... A: Where is the diver at 1.5 sec? Let x=1.5, then y=-4.9(1.5)^2+8(1.5)+10= 10.975 meters above the ... | |
| algebra problem | 1/9/2011 |
| Q: The total outing cost for a group of people amounted to $8000.When an additional 4 persons decided ... A: Let x=the number of people originally in the group. Thus, $8000/x is the original cost per person. ... | |
| Math and World Population | 1/7/2011 |
| Q: Is the population of the world found using a mathematical equation? A: I believe the "population clocks" like http://www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html ... | |
| application of linear system | 1/6/2011 |
| Q: a motorboat can go 12 kilometers downstream in 2 hours.the return trip takes 3 hours.find the speed ... A: Let x=the speed of the boat in still water, and y=the speed of the current. Downstream, the speed ... | |
| Solving logarithm function | 1/3/2011 |
| Q: I am stuck to solve the logarithm function; 72-5tlog(0.045t)-0.5t=0 thank you regards Raymond A: This cannot be solved for analytically in terms of elementary functions, since the unknown (t) ... | |
| Functions | 12/27/2010 |
| Q: Determine if the relation is a function or not. Explain. 3. {(x,y): x^2+y^2=9} A: A function is a relationship between two variables, such that for each value of the independent ... | |
| Math Problem | 9/2/2010 |
| Q: can you please help me with this math problem? I find it complicated. Thankyou I appreciate it! ... A: Average Speed = (Total Distance)/Time = (1280 miles)/((9 hrs - 100 minutes resting)x3 days) = (1280 ... | |
| math | 9/1/2010 |
| Q: A man on a bicycle average 10 miles per hour riding down the road. A car leaves from the same point ... A: Let t=the time it takes for the car to catch up to the biker. Since distance =rate*time, we get 1. ... | |
| Maths | 8/29/2010 |
| Q: There are three boys X, Y and Z who are running in circular path. Speed of boy X is 4mtr/sec, boy Y ... A: I do not understand your question! "After how many time meet in circular pathway?" Do you mean: 1. ... | |
| maths | 8/28/2010 |
| Q: l.c.m and h.c.f tell me some examples of h.c.f and l.c.m A: LCM = Least Common Multiple For example: 1. the LCM of 6 and 8 is 24, since 24 is the smallest ... | |
| Math Problem | 8/27/2010 |
| Q: here it is. A circular water stain on your home ceiling had a diameter of about 4 inches across on ... A: 1) diameter increased 1.7 inches in 24 hours...thus, 1.7/4=0.425 . or 42.5% increase in 24 hrs. 2) ... | |
| word problem - Algebra II | 8/25/2010 |
| Q: Horizontal sides of a rectangle are one half the length of the side of a particular square. The ... A: Let x=the length of a side of the square Then... the horizontal sides of the rectangle are x/2 the ... | |
| 8th Grade Math Question | 8/24/2010 |
| Q: In a popular board game I can accuse 6 suspects of a crime. I can also choose among 9 rooms, and 6 ... A: For each of the 6 suspects, there are 9 rooms. So there are 6*9=54 ways to select the person and ... | |
| General Chemistry | 8/23/2010 |
| Q: ONE GALLON OF GAS IN A AUTOMOBILE'S ENGINE PRODUCES ON AVERAGE 9.5 KG OF CARBON DIOXIDE. CALCULATE ... A: You obtained 1x10^10 gal of gasoline used by the 40 million cars. Then you multiplied by 9.5 kg, the ... | |
| Speed Word Problem | 8/22/2010 |
| Q: Can you help me to solve this word problem? Mei and Lin took part in a cycling race. Mei cycled at ... A: I gather that they started the race at the same time, yes? If so, then... When Lin completed HALF ... | |
| solving word problems using linear equations | 8/21/2010 |
| Q: Mercedes had a calling card worth $20. On this card, long distance calls are $0.05 per min more than ... A: let x=the cost per minute for local calls (per minute) then x+0.05 is the cost for long distance ... | |
| Math | 8/18/2010 |
| Q: I would be grateful if you could help me. John on his first day read one fifth of the book, on the ... A: Let x=the number of pages in the book. Day #1 he read x/5 pages Day #2 he read 12 pages Day #3 he ... | |
| college algebra | 8/17/2010 |
| Q: upon returning to the U.S from Canada,Burgette exchanged her remaining 150 Canadian Dollars for ... A: You already have the equation, where x represents the exchange rate. 150x=134.53, now just divide by ... | |
| word problem | 6/10/2010 |
| Q: The height h (in feet) of a rocket at time t seconds after liftoff is given by h = -16t^2 + 800t. a) ... A: a) solve -16t^2 + 800t = 3200 for t ==> -16t^2 + 800t - 3200 =0 . ==> t^2 - 50t + 200 = 0 (after ... | |
| algebra word problems~ | 6/4/2010 |
| Q: I'm stumbled on this question... Suppose a rectangle is 2/3 as wide as it is long. If it's perimeter ... A: Let x=the length of the rectangle. Then (2/3)x is the width. The perimeter is 2L+2W = 2x + 2(2/3)x ... | |
| Laws of Cosine | 6/3/2010 |
| Q: The pitcher's mound on a softball field is 46 feet from home plate, and the distance between the ... A: We need more information. I guess we must assume the bases form a perfect square shape, yes? Also, ... | |
| angle-algebra problems | 1/6/2010 |
| Q: find the value of x in triangle xyz if m of x =2x, mof y=64 and m of z=2x-16. I have the anwser ... A: The sum of the interior angles of a triangle must equal 180 degrees. Thus, 2x+64+2x-16=180, now ... | |
| proportion problem | 1/5/2010 |
| Q: Suppose the regular price of item A is $2.00 and the regular price of item B is $2.50. If we sell 2 ... A: Let a=the sale price of item A, and b=the sale price of item B. If the proportions are the same, we ... | |
| matrix word problem | 1/2/2010 |
| Q: The snack shop makes three mixes of nuts in the following proportion: mix 1: 7 pounds peanuts, 5 ... A: Let x=# of lbs of Mix 1, y=# of lbs of Mix 2, z=# of lbs of Mix 3 Thus, we can write a linear ... | |
| Algebra Square Problem | 12/31/2009 |
| Q: The Perimeter of a square garden is 12 meters greater than the perimeter of a smaller square garden. ... A: Let x=the length of one side of the smaller garden, and y=the length of one side of the larger ... | |
| mathematics | 12/30/2009 |
| Q: At 1000AM a gymnastics team began traveling to its district finals meet 200 miles away. The team's ... A: Team A had a flat tire after 100 miles...which took them (100 miles)/(65 miles/hr) = 20/13 hrs Team ... | |
| Matrix Word Problem | 8/12/2009 |
| Q: I'm trying to convert the following problem into a Matrix to solve by calculator (the solving part ... A: Let x=# of courtside seats sold, let y=# of endzone seats sold, and let z=# of balcony seats sold. ... | |
| Can you please show me the steps to these problems! | 7/23/2009 |
| Q: 1. Simplify : root:3:(81a^6b^8) 2. Simplify : (sqrt(100m^5n)/(sqrt(5m^3)) 3. Find the height, to ... A: 1. I gather you mean the cube-root, yes? cube_root(81a^6b^8), factor out perfect cubes... . ... | |
| Word Problem...... PLease Help | 7/21/2009 |
| Q: The Gateway Arch in St.Louis is 640 ft high. How long would it take an object to fall freely from ... A: 1. Using s(t)=(1/2)gt^2, with s(t)=640 ft and g=32 ft/sec^2, we get . 640=16t^2 ==> t^2=40 ==> ... | |
| Set Theory - Venn Diagram Problem | 7/18/2009 |
| Q: In a survey of 200 people, 15% don’t have driving licence, 10% were charged for parking ticket one ... A: Are you certain you have the problem correct? Only 15% (or 30 ppl) DO NOT have a driver's license, ... | |
| Mathematics - Logic | 7/17/2009 |
| Q: A rectangular solid is made up of 12 cubes of the same size. The exposed surface is then painted ... A: It depends how the cubes are oriented. For example, if the 12 cubes are arranged to be 1 layer in ... | |
| motion problem! | 7/16/2009 |
| Q: pls,.. i really need the answer in this problem.. kindly show the solutions.. What is the speed of ... A: Let b=speed of boat in still water, s=speed of the stream. Speed of boat with current is b+s, speed ... | |
| Investment Accounts | 7/15/2009 |
| Q: An investor wants to invest $1000.00 into four amounts or accounts. He invests $1.00 in each account ... A: Let x=the additional amount he will invest the 2% account, y=additional amount invested in the 5% ... | |
| Buisness math | 7/14/2009 |
| Q: Alan, I really need some help i don't understand this question. Jill Co. sells thermometers ($2) and ... A: Who is Mr Alan? :-o Anyhow... Let x=# of thermometers sold, y=# of water bottles sold. Thus, we ... | |
| GMAT word problems | 7/10/2009 |
| Q: /Ms. Mantell, These are all the problems from the GMAT practices which i need you to help me. 1. An ... A: I am a "Mr") :-) 1. $d at k% gives $600 interest in 2 years, so $d at k% for 1 year .. will give ... | |
| Problems involving two variables | 7/5/2009 |
| Q: I am having a very hard time understanding how to do this problem and I was wondering if you could ... A: Let x=# of burgers you need to buy, and y=# of hot dogs you need to buy Thus, 1. x+y=23 (since there ... | |
| quadratic word problem | 6/11/2009 |
| Q: I'm trying to help some students with quadratic application probs. The one that I'm not sure how to ... A: Assuming the bucket is at ground level, with y=0, we just need to determine the x-value of where it ... | |
| Can Help me solve this question | 6/9/2009 |
| Q: (Quadratic Equation) 1)Solve these equation.(use 2^x=y) 2^2x-9(2^x)+20=0 2)if p and q are the root ... A: Wow, you sure have many questions! How about I do a couple and see if you can do the others? 1. Do ... | |
| Quadratic Function | 6/8/2009 |
| Q: Find two numbers whose sum is 30,such that the sum of their squares is a maximum. A: Let x=one of the numbers, then 30-x is the other. The sum of the squares will then be: x^2 + ... | |
| Quadratic Equation | 6/7/2009 |
| Q: A strip of wire of length 28cm is cut into two pieces.One piece is bent to form a square of side x ... A: If the square has sides of length x, then the total perimeter is 4x. Thus, 28-4x is left over for ... | |
| college algebra | 6/6/2009 |
| Q: Flying with the wind, a small plane can fly 600 mi in 3 h. Against the wind, the plane can fly the ... A: Let x=the rate of the plane in calm air, and y=the rate of the wind So, using distance=rate*time we ... | |
| Need help with problem setup | 6/4/2009 |
| Q: I am helping a friend with her math for an upcoming test for adult education. It has been years ... A: 20% of the 25 ounce solution is pure alcohol, thus only 5 ounces are pure alcohol (i.e. 20% of 25 ... | |
| Math | 6/3/2009 |
| Q: I have a question. If the question says that they give you a surface area and radius, and your ... A: I need to know what is the shape of the object? Is it a sphere? A cylinder? As for the vase, I ... | |
| Systems of Equations | 1/13/2009 |
| Q: A parking lot holds 450 cars. The ratio of full size cars to compact cars is 11 : 4. How many full ... A: Let x=the # of full size cars, then 450-x=the # of compact cars (since the total is 450) But they ... | |
| linear equations with 2 ordered pairs | 1/11/2009 |
| Q: To lose weight, John ate less calories each week. By the 4th week he was eating 2700 calories per ... A: Assuming the rate is constant (i.e. a linear relationship between caloric intake and days)...we have ... | |
| Math | 1/8/2009 |
| Q: A man can construct a wall in 20hrs. With the help of his apprentice assistant the task would take ... A: The first man works at a rate of 1 wall in 20 hrs, or 1/20 of a wall/hr. Let x=the rate of the ... | |
| math | 1/7/2009 |
| Q: When Lee gets his paycheck he pays his $550 rent his $245 car payment and his $160 student loan ... A: Let x=the amount of his paycheck He pays $550 + $245 + $160 = $955, thus... x-955 is what he has ... | |
| System of Inequalities Word Problem | 1/5/2009 |
| Q: I'm currently doing final review for Algebra II and would like some help with this word problem: ... A: You will have one inequality for each constraint, i.e. one for the limitation of 85 hrs/day for ... | |
| intergers | 1/4/2009 |
| Q: ummm. yeah like i dont get this "-2 times 3 times -6=?" A: Do you mean you want to know why -2 times 3 is -6?? Well, I hope you agree that 2 times 3 is 6, ... | |
| math | 1/3/2009 |
| Q: 13. If two planes leave the same airport at 1:00 PM, how many miles apart will they be at 3:00 PM if ... A: The north bound plane traveled 150x2 = 300 miles (north) The west bound plane traveled 200x2 - 400 ... | |
| equations question | 12/31/2008 |
| Q: my question says. write out in words, what each of the following equations says mathematically. (a) ... A: (a) The product of "a" and "b" (i.e "a" times "b") equals --- the product of "c" and "d" (i.e. "c" ... | |
| probability-math | 12/26/2008 |
| Q: IF a teacher has prepared a 5-item test with the first three itmes being true and the last two ... A: I gather you meant "... the first three being TRUE/FALSE QUESTIONS ..." Yes??? If so, then: Each of ... | |
| Math Problem help | 9/2/2008 |
| Q: For the age of 15 to 24 , motor vehicle accidents account for 31/24 of all accidental deaths, and ... A: I am a bit confused by the first fraction, 31/24, since it is greater than one! So, either it is ... | |
| Word Problems for the Unknown | 9/1/2008 |
| Q: In 1955 only 435 Kaiser-Darrins were built, because Kaiser-Frazer bailed out of the car business. ... A: Let x=the value of the car in very nice condition. Since 1 3/4 = 7/4, we get: (7/4)x=$62,125...now ... | |
| word problem | 8/31/2008 |
| Q: there are 7 girls on a bus, each girl has 7 back packs and in each pack pack there are 7 cats how ... A: There are 7x7 backpacks = 49 backpacks...there are 49x7 cats = 343 cats ...there are 343x4 cat legs ... | |
| find the ratio of speed | 7/23/2008 |
| Q: On a straight road, an inspecting officer traveled from the rear to the front of an army column, and ... A: If I correctly interpret....you are saying that in the time it took the soldiers to travel their own ... | |
| Half life | 7/22/2008 |
| Q: Polonium-210 has a half life of 138.4 days. A 268mg sample decays for 2 years(730 days). What amount ... A: Let A(t)=the amount of Polonium-210 remaining after t days. Then A(t)=Ao*e^(kt)...since the 1/2-life ... | |
| answer | 7/21/2008 |
| Q: Mohan sold a watch to Tarun at 12% gain and Tarun had to sell it to manish at a loss of 5%. If ... A: 2/5 should sell for 2/5 of 96000 = 38400, but he sold it a 6% loss. 6% of 38400 is 2304. So, he ... | |
| answer | 7/20/2008 |
| Q: Mohan sold a watch to Tarun at 12% gain and Tarun had to sell it to manish at a loss of 5%. If ... A: Let x=the price paid for the watch by Mohan. So, Mohan sold it to Tarun for x + 12% of x = x + 0.12x ... | |
| Word problems/ Algebra | 7/16/2008 |
| Q: I am having difficulty creating the formula to solve word problems. For example:A traveling club ... A: Let x=the number of people initially in the club. Thus, the initial cost per person is $150,000/x, ... | |
| Math Word Problem finding current | 7/15/2008 |
| Q: A motoboat heads upstream a distance of 12 miles on a river whose current is running at 5 miles per ... A: Let x=the speed of the boat relative to the water. Thus, the actual speed upstream is x-5 miles/hr, ... | |
| math | 7/12/2008 |
| Q: melinda has 3pairs of red socks,2 pairs of black socks and 5 pairs of white socks . how many minimum ... A: Are you sure you mean what is the "minimum" # that can be removed? Also, I gather she needs to be ... | |
| how do i covert in the metric system | 7/11/2008 |
| Q: I'm having a test monday and I'm having trouble converting. A: The easiest way to do any conversions is to use what are called "unit fractions." That is, you ... | |
| Help Solve | 7/7/2008 |
| Q: 1.If you earned an average of $25,000 over your working life you retire after 2005 at 62, 63, or 64, ... A: OOPS! Sorry, disregard my previous reply to this! OK... 1. Let x=age, y=SS benefit. Thus, ... | |
| Help Solve | 7/6/2008 |
| Q: After 2 minutes on a treadmill, Jenny has a heart rate of 82. After 3 minutes she has a heart rate ... A: Let x=the time (in minutes), y=heart rate. Thus, we get the two ordered pairs: (2,82) & (3,86) ... | |
| please tell me how to do it as soon as possible | 7/5/2008 |
| Q: A salesman drove to portland a distance of 300 miles. during the last 80 miles of his trip heavy ... A: Let x=the original speed (in miles/hr), thus x-15=the speed during the last 80 miles. Let t=the time ... | |
| problem solving | 7/2/2008 |
| Q: The midpoints of the sides of a square of side 1 inch are joined to form a new square. This ... A: Clearly, the area of the first square is 1^1 ==> A1=1 The second square has sides sqrt(2)/2, so its ... | |
| sine and cosine word problem | 5/23/2008 |
| Q: Two sailboats leave a harbor in the Bahamas at the same time. The first sails at 22mph in a ... A: After 5 hrs, the distance they have traveled is: The 22 MPH boat: 110 miles The 29 MPH boat: 145 ... | |
| Word Problems | 1/22/2008 |
| Q: Chicken Little was going to town to sell her eggs when she bubmped into Henny Penny, who wanted to ... A: Let x=the number of eggs originally had. 1. she sold (1/2)x+(1/2) to Henny Penny, leaving -- ... | |
| Cows | 1/18/2008 |
| Q: In a group of cows and turkeys; the number of heads are 35 less than the number of legs what is the ... A: Let c=the # of cows, and t=the # of turkeys Thus, the total number of heads is given by c+t, and ... | |
| Sixth grade math problem | 1/17/2008 |
| Q: My son has a "Problem of the Week" that has the whole family stumped. The school newspaper is ... A: This is a standard problem in using Venn Diagrams. To get a little primer, check: ... | |
| Alegebra 2 | 1/16/2008 |
| Q: One electronic reader can read a deck of punched cards in 1/2 the time of another reader. Together ... A: Let x=the rate at which the slower machine can read a deck Then x/2=the rate of the faster machine ... | |
| Quiz Word problem | 1/15/2008 |
| Q: Steve can write a quiz in 40 minutes. Steve and Ruth working together can write a quiz in 25 ... A: ), Since work=rateXtime, Let r = the rate at which Ruth can work (alone) Steve can work at the ... | |
| maths using qadratic equation | 1/13/2008 |
| Q: some students went for the picnic total cost for the food was Rs 240. 4 students among the group ... A: what is it?), Also, what is "Rs"? Anyhow...let x=the # of students who were supposed to go... ... | |
| math word problems | 1/12/2008 |
| Q: uhm, hi! i was wonderimg if you could help me with these? a lot said that ur really good.. thanks.. ... A: ..what is it?), You have quite a list of questions! I'd rather not answer them all...it would take ... | |
| dd | 1/11/2008 |
| Q: 1.prove that the equation ax2(square)+2hxy+by2(square)=0 represents a pair of straight lines passing ... A: 1. ax^2+2hxy+by^2=0...SOlving for y using the quadratic -- formuala: y=[-2hx(+ or -)sqrt(4h^2 x^2 ... | |
| Math | 1/10/2008 |
| Q: Ashley O'Shaughnessy won $5000 in a contest. She invested some of the money at 5% simple interest ... A: Let x=the amount invested at 5%, then 2x-400=the amount invested at 6.5% Thus: (5% of x) + (6.5% of ... | |
| math q | 1/5/2008 |
| Q: The sides of the large square are 16 cm. The midpoints of the sides are joined to form a new square. ... A: 1. do you mean the process (of joining midpoints and -- forming squares) is repeated until there are ... | |
| taking 1000 or 10,000 steps | 1/4/2008 |
| Q: Lao Tzu wrote, "The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step." Okay, it's all good! ... A: Depends on how long the step is! Suppose each step is x inches long, then the total ditance for ... | |
| Ladder puzzle | 12/29/2007 |
| Q: In order to keep his 15' ladder from bowing, a painter uses a 6'x6'x6' cube, jammed up against the ... A: Sorry for the delay on this one...I needed a bit of time to type all of the following! I'll show ... | |
| math equation | 12/26/2007 |
| Q: Please help with this problem. Two cyclists start biking from a trail’s start 3 hours apart. The ... A: The distance the 1st cyclist travels is 6(3+t) miles, and the distance the 2nd cyclist travles is ... | |
| Word Problem ( Math ) | 6/7/2007 |
| Q: you have just purchased new appliances worth $1900. you pay $700.00 down, and finance the remainder ... A: Wow, I just found this question of yours from the summer! I had "been on vacation" from AllExperts ... | |
| work problems | 6/1/2007 |
| Q: A can do a piece of work in 10 days and B in 20 days. they work together ,but 2 days before the ... A: "A" can do 1/10 of the job per day, and "B" can do 1/20 of the job per day. So, if they work ... | |
| Trig | 5/31/2007 |
| Q: An Egyptian pyramid has a square base and symmetrical sloping faces. The angle of inclination of a ... A: Use th Law of Sines to determine the length of s sloping face. The triangle formed has a base of ... | |
| maths | 5/29/2007 |
| Q: i have 2 questions first there are 4 roads from A to B and 5 roads from B to C howm any possible ... A: 1. There are 4x5=20 ways to get from A to C...and 20 ways - to get back... 2. A square of area 36 ... | |
| please help me out | 5/28/2007 |
| Q: 10 men & 6 children can complete a job in 2 days, 16 men and 16 children can complete the same job ... A: Let x=the rate at which one man can work (job/day) and y=the rate at which a child works (job/day) ... | |
| Word Problem-is there an easier way? | 5/24/2007 |
| Q: I have a word problem that I can't figure out. Here it is- 'A girl went fishing. The first day she ... A: What you have there is what is called a series, that is the sum of terms that have a constant ratio ... | |
| Business | 5/23/2007 |
| Q: Lotus Development has a software rental plan called SmartSuite that is available on the World Wide ... A: The compound interest formula is: A=P(1+r/n)^(n*t) So we get: A=2.99(1+0.01)^40 + 2.99(1+0.01)^39 + ... | |
| Adult Tutoring Ideas? | 1/4/2007 |
| Q: Mr. Mantell, I am a safety professional working towards a National Certification (Certified Safety ... A: How about Sylvan? Check for other in your local Yellow Pages, under "tutoring" or "Education"... ... | |
| Algebra word problem: time/distance/rate | 12/30/2006 |
| Q: Two airplanes leave a starting point traveling in the same direction, one at 550mph, the other at ... A: The answer I obtained can easily be verified: The faster plane travels: : 550 (miles/hr) X 18/37 ... | |
| Algebra word problem: time/distance/rate | 12/28/2006 |
| Q: Two airplanes leave a starting point traveling in the same direction, one at 550mph, the other at ... A: Let x=the distance the faster plane has traveled let y=the distance the slower plane has traveled ... | |
| How many possible combinations? | 1/9/2006 |
| Q: How many possible combinations are there in a 5 digit code using the numbers 1 through 6? Thanks! A: Do you mean "combinations" or "permutations"? Is repetition allowed? If it is a true code, like a ... | |
| College Algebra | 9/19/2005 |
| Q: Need help with a word problem in algebra. A farmer spends $100 to buy 100 animals. Cows cost $10 ... A: OK, your equations are correct. Now let's solve for z, using 10x+5y+0.50z=100 So, z=200-20x-10y. ... | |
| limits with brackets | 9/11/2005 |
| Q: What is the limit of [(x-2)] as x approaches 1.5? The answer is -1(as it says in the Kaplan AP ... A: The bracket notation is commonly used for "The Greatest Integer Function" - see this site for more ... | |
| Sheep Pen | 9/9/2005 |
| Q: A sheep farmer had a sheep pen which was the shape of an equilateral triangle.The six sections he ... A: The area of an equilateral triangle, in terms of it's perimeter (P), is: A1=[sqrt(3)/36]P^2 The ... | |
| question needs to be solved before friday.....pleeeeeaaase!!! | 9/7/2005 |
| Q: Here is a question i really need solved with explanation please. There are 16 boys in a class with ... A: The algebraic way is: Let x=the height of the new student. The total height of all the students ... | |
| 7 grade math | 9/6/2005 |
| Q: You have 4 pieces of gold chain with 3 links on each. If it costs $10.50 to break a link and $10.50 ... A: Well, I cannot draw a picture here...but I can explain it. The least expensive way is to use one of ... | |
| Calculating force of water | 8/24/2005 |
| Q: I could probably resurrect some old books for this one, but do not have the time... I think it is ... A: This is a standard Calculus II problem..Here's how to solve it: One wall of the tank is 16' long by ... | |
| Pacal's Triangle (Tower of Cubes) | 7/8/2005 |
| Q: A tower of cubes is made of 35 cubes in five layers. How many cubes are needed to form a similar ... A: The pattern is: 1 + 3 + 6 + 10 + 15 + ... That is: 1 + (1+2) + (1+2+3) + (1+2+3+4) + (1+2+3+4+5) + ... | |
| asymptotes | 6/2/2005 |
| Q: What are the equations of all horizontal and vertical asymptotes for the curve y=x/(x(x^2-4))(the ... A: Vertical asymptotes occur where there is a division by zero...so, we solve x(x^2-4)=0, and get ... | |
| % | 5/29/2005 |
| Q: Three years ago men made up two out of every three internet users in America. Today the ... A: Let x=the total number of Internet users 3 yrs ago. Thus, (2/3)x=the number of male Internet users 3 ... | |
| From Pounds To Ounces | 5/27/2005 |
| Q: It is quite common to divide two numbers with like units. This type of division, if I'm not ... A: Doesn't the following: 4 ounces/16 ounces = 1/4, and doesn't this calculation represent how many 16 ... | |
| From Pounds To Ounces | 5/26/2005 |
| Q: I want to thank you for the follow-up reply. Regarding number 2., How many 16 ounces are in 1/4 ... A: No, it would STILL NOT MAKE SENSE! If you are asking someone to calculate a number, it makes NO ... | |
| From Pounds To Ounces | 5/25/2005 |
| Q: Can you explain why 1 and 2 do not make sense? I thank you for your follow-up reply.Hello: 1/4 ... A: 1. How many 16 ounces per pound are in 1/4 pounds? Does not make sense primarily because "16 ... | |
| transformations | 1/21/2005 |
| Q: What is the equation of y=x^2 + 4 after: (a)a dilation of 2 (b)a rotation of 180 degrees (c)a ... A: a) dilaton in which direction...x or y? -- in y, it would be 2x^2+4 b) I'll assume rotations are ... | |
| Ticket Problem | 1/16/2005 |
| Q: It's me again. I really wanna get this problems right so before test I'm well prepared. I wanna ... A: The first one- Let x=the # of times you ride the Ferris Wheel, and y=the # of times you ride the ... | |
| Sequence | 1/13/2005 |
| Q: Me again, I just asked you the question.. what is the missing value in the following sequence: ... A: Oh yes, I am familiar with that website (http://www.research.att.com/~njas/sequences/)... and tried ... | |
| word problem | 1/4/2005 |
| Q: as you ride the ferris wheel, the height above ground varies sinusoidally with time. the ferris ... A: Let the height above the ground be represented by h(t)=Asin(bt+c)+D So, A=41 ft (the radius of the ... | |
| transformations | 1/2/2005 |
| Q: So why am I wrong?why do you have to reflect it in the x-axis first?Please go to this web site and ... A: OK, I somehow did not see (or notice) your minus sign on the 3! I thought you were doing the ... | |
| transformations | 12/31/2004 |
| Q: Please go to this web site and look at number 31. ... A: No...You need to reflect (about x-axis) before the vertical shift of 3. So, one answer would be ... | |
| Teeth on gears | 1/16/2004 |
| Q: This is a question from Brainbashers.com. I have a machine which has four cog wheels in constant ... A: Interesting question! What we need is the LCM (Least Common Multiple) of the 4 numbers: 242, 66, ... | |
| Word problem for school, we are allowed to use any resource to figure out the solutions | 1/2/2004 |
| Q: This is the word problem: A town is replacing its water supply lines. The current system uses two ... A: Since volume of flow is cross-sectional area times the flow rate. I assume the problem is to find ... | |
| algebra finance | 7/29/2003 |
| Q: An asset is purchased for $15,000 and depreciates at 12% per year. How long will it take to ... A: The value is given by, V(t)=$15,000(1-0.12)^t, t=# of years ==> V(t)=$15,000(0.88)^t, now solve for ... | |
| Gallon Capacity | 7/26/2003 |
| Q: How would we figure out how many gallons an above ground round pool holds so we can figure out the ... A: The volume of a cylinder is pi*h*r^2, where h=height of water, and r=radius of the pool Convert the ... | |
| Word Problem | 7/26/2003 |
| Q: Abe, Hi! I am stumped on two questions in my assignment and was wondering if you could help. Any ... A: 23. Let I=intensity, and x=distance. So, I=k/x^2, where k=constant of proportionality. When ... | |
| water hoses | 7/11/2003 |
| Q: Two hoses are filling a swimming pool. The hose with the larger diamter supplies 1.5 times as much ... A: OOPS! Sorry, I pressed the wrong response before! Anyhow...Hello Charisma (is that your real ... | |
| How to research? | 7/11/2003 |
| Q: How to research? --- I am a student in Computer Science department and I wonder how can I increase ... A: Wow, tough question to answer! In my opinion, when you learn (not just memorize facts, but actually ... | |
| Algebraic Word Problem-Quadratic Systems | 6/13/2003 |
| Q: I have two algebraic word problems that have me stumped, and I would like you to help me solve them. ... A: 1. Let x be the base and y be the height... So, (1/2)xy=2a^2-2b^2, and x^2+y^2=4(2a^2+2b^2) ... | |
| Word problems | 5/31/2003 |
| Q: I am currently homeschooling my two teenagers. I am pretty good with Algebra, but I just can't ... A: How about I show you the first one, and give you a chance to do the other...OK? Let x=the rate at ... | |
| Word problem | 5/29/2003 |
| Q: One rental car agency charges $40 per day plus 15 cents per mile for a midsize car. Another agency ... A: Let m=# of miles driven... Agency 1: charges 40 + 0.15m dollars/day Agency 2: charges 45 + 0.10m ... | |
| formula or pattern for rearrange letters or numbers. | 5/8/2003 |
| Q: I was wondering if there was a formauls for finding the number of ways something can be reaaranged ... A: There sure is! n distinct items can be arranged in n! ways (it's called "n factorial")...and ... | |
| Help | 5/1/2003 |
| Q: It takes you 30 sec. to walk from the first floor of a building to the third floor. How long will it ... A: Since one must walk up 2 flights of stairs (from the 1st to 3rd floor), we assume a person can ... | |
| word problem - yikes | 4/30/2003 |
| Q: I got this problem from my teacher because I needed an extra point for the week. But I think I'm ... A: Certainly the twins are the same age...so the worst pitcher and his/her twin are is also the same ... | |
Word Problems
Answers by Expert:
Abe Mantell
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
Hello, I am a college professor of mathematics and regularly teach all levels from elementary mathematics through differential equations, and would be happy to assist anyone with such questions!
Experience
Over 15 years teaching at the college level.
Organizations
NCTM, NYSMATYC, AMATYC, MAA, NYSUT, AFT.
Education/Credentials
B.S. in Mathematics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
M.S. (and A.B.D.) in Applied Mathematics from SUNY @ Stony Brook
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