Algebra 2
Name: _____________________________
Word Problems
Period: _____
Worksheet #1
Each problem has 2 or 3 unknown numbers. Label one of the unknowns as x, then label the
other(s) in terms of x, write an equation, solve the equation, and finally answer the question.
1.
Sally is Bob’s younger sister, and she is 7 years younger than Bob. If you multiply Bob’s
age by three and subtract Sally’s age, you get their mother’s age, which is 37 years. How
old is Sally?
Let x be Bob’s age.
What expression in x represents Sally’s age? ________
Write an equation in x for this problem:
Solve that equation (show all work):
How old is Sally? ___________
2.
You have 540 feet of fencing to enclose a rectangular garden. You want the length of the
garden to be 50 feet greater than the width. Find the length and width of the garden if you
use all of the fencing.
Let x be the width of the fence.
Write an expression in x that represents the length: ______________________
Write an equation in x that expresses the condition that the total amount of fencing is 540
feet:
Solve that equation.
What are the length and width of the garden?
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3.
A wire that is 76 inches long is bent to form a rectangle. If the length of this rectangle is 7
inches less than twice its width, then what is the area of the rectangle?
What expression (in x) represents the length? _________
width
Let x be the width of the rectangle.
7 less than twice width
Write an equation in x that expresses the condition that the wire is 76 inches long:
Solve that equation for x.
What is the area of the rectangle? _____________
4.
A triangle has perimeter of 92 cm. The longest side is twice as long as the shortest side,
and the third side is 12 cm longer than the shortest side. How long is each side?
Let x be the length of the shortest side.
a.
Label the lengths of the sides in terms of x:
Shortest side = x
Longest side = ___________
Other side = _________
b.
Write an equation in x that represents, “the perimeter is 92.”
_________________________________________
c.
Solve that equation.
d.
Answer the question.
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x
5.
Barry bought a book, a magazine and a pen for a total of $14.75 before tax. The book was
4 times as expensive as the magazine, and the pen was $5.50 less than the book. What was
the price of the book?
6.
a.
Label the unknowns:
b.
Write an equation.
c.
Solve the equation.
d.
Answer the question.
Price of Book =
___________
Price of Magazine = ___________
Price of Pen =
___________
The sum of the angles in any triangle is 180o. In triangle ABC, angle B is 5o less than twice
angle A, and angle C is 10o less than angle B. What is the measure of angle B?
a.
Label the unknowns:
b.
Write an equation.
c.
Solve the equation.
d.
Answer the question.
Measure of angle A = _____________
Measure of angle B = _____________
Measure of angle C = _____________
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7.
8.
Bob is twice as old as Chuck, and Susie is 10 years younger than Bob. If the sum of their
ages is 100 years, how old is Susie?
a.
Label the unknowns:
b.
Write an equation.
c.
Solve the equation.
d.
Answer the question.
Bob’s age = _____________
Chuck’s age = _____________
Susie’s age = _____________
Towns A, B, C, and D are on the same highway as shown:
A
B
C
D
The distance from A to B is three times the distance from C to D, and the distance from B to
C is 10 miles less than the distance from A to B. If the distance from A to D is 95 miles,
how far is it from town B to town C?
a.
Label the unknowns:
b.
Write an equation.
c.
Solve the equation.
d.
Answer the question.
Distance from A to B = _____________
Distance from B to C = _____________
Distance from C to D = _____________
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9.
10.
A triangle has perimeter of 115 cm. The longest side is twice as long as the shortest side,
and the third side is 10 cm shorter than the longest side. How long is each side?
a.
Label the unknowns:
b.
Write an equation.
c.
Solve the equation.
d.
Answer the question.
Shortest side = _____________
Longest side = _____________
Other side = _____________
Mary has nothing but nickels, dimes and quarters in her purse. There are twice as many
nickels as quarters, and three more dimes than nickels. If she has 58 coins in her purse,
then how much money (dollar amount) does she have in the purse?
a.
Label the unknowns:
b.
Write an equation.
c.
Solve the equation.
d.
Answer the question.
Number of nickels = _____________
Number of dimes = _____________
Number of quarters = _____________
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