Word Problem Example
Enroll to start learning
You’ve not yet enrolled in this course. Please enroll for free to listen to audio lessons, classroom podcasts and take practice test.
Interactive Audio Lesson
Listen to a student-teacher conversation explaining the topic in a relatable way.
Understanding the Problem
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
Today, we have a real-world application of linear equations. Let's consider a scenario where a taxi charges a base fare plus a rate per kilometer. Does anyone want to suggest how we might start solving this?
We could start by identifying the fixed and variable costs.
Great! That's right. The fixed cost, or the base fare, is $5. Now, what about the cost per kilometer?
It's $2 for each kilometer driven.
Exactly! So if we represent the number of kilometers with 'x', what equation can we form?
The equation would be C = 2x + 5.
You got it! Now, if we want to calculate the cost for a ride of 10 kilometers, what do we do next?
Calculating the Total Cost
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
Now that we have our equation, let's calculate the cost for a 10 km ride. What substitution should we make?
We should substitute x with 10 in the equation C = 2x + 5.
Correct! Let’s perform the substitution. What do we get?
C = 2(10) + 5 = 20 + 5 = 25.
So the total cost for the ride is $25. This is a perfect example of how linear equations can be used in real-life situations. Any questions about this?
Introduction & Overview
Read summaries of the section's main ideas at different levels of detail.
Quick Overview
Standard
The section focuses on applying linear equations to real-life situations, specifically highlighting a taxi fare problem. It provides the formulation of the equation and a detailed calculation to find the total cost of a ride.
Detailed
Word Problem Example
In this section, we explore the application of linear equations to a practical scenario involving taxi fares. Here, we need to develop a linear equation based on the problem statement, which states that a taxi charges a fixed rate plus a variable rate depending on distance traveled.
Key Details:
- Fixed Rate: $5 (base charge)
- Variable Rate: $2 per kilometer
- Objective: Formulate the equation and calculate the total cost for a ride of 10 kilometers.
Equation Formation
The cost, denoted as C, can be represented as:
C = 2x + 5
Where x is the number of kilometers traveled.
Calculation
For a ride of 10 km:
- C = 2(10) + 5 = 20 + 5 = $25
Through this example, students learn not only to write a linear equation from a word problem but also to perform calculations using the equation. This skill is essential in solving real-world problems using algebra.
Audio Book
Dive deep into the subject with an immersive audiobook experience.
Cost Equation for Taxi Ride
Chapter 1 of 2
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
A taxi charges a fixed rate of $5 plus $2 per km.
Write the equation and calculate the cost for a 10 km ride.
Detailed Explanation
In this word problem, we are given the details of how a taxi charges its fare. The fixed base charge is $5, which is the amount you pay just for getting in the taxi, regardless of how far you travel. In addition, for every kilometer you drive, there is an additional charge of $2. To express this mathematically, we can create an equation. We denote the total cost as C, and the distance driven in kilometers as x. The cost equation can be written as C = 2x + 5, where 2x corresponds to the additional charge for distance traveled while 5 is the fixed starting fare. To find the total cost for a ride of 10 kilometers, we substitute x with 10 in the equation: C = 2(10) + 5, which simplifies to C = 20 + 5, resulting in a total cost of $25.
Examples & Analogies
Think about it like going to a restaurant where you have to pay a base fee to just sit down at the table ($5 for the taxi ride) and then order drinks and meals that cost extra ($2 per km driven). If you decide to order just a few drinks or stay longer, the overall cost increases based on how far you want to travel after you sit down.
Calculating Total Cost
Chapter 2 of 2
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
Solution:
Equation: 𝐶 = 2𝑥 + 5
For 𝑥 = 10:
𝐶 = 2(10) + 5 = 25
Detailed Explanation
Once we have established the equation C = 2x + 5, we can calculate the total cost for a specific distance. Here, we replace x with 10, which is the total kilometers we plan to travel. The calculation proceeds as follows: first, we multiply 2 by 10, which equals 20. Then, we add the fixed cost of 5 to this amount. Thus, we have a total of C = 20 + 5 = 25, meaning the total fare for traveling 10 kilometers is $25.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine this calculation like doing a math problem in sports – say you're keeping track of points scored and bonus points for each goal. If your team scores 10 goals and you also get a bonus for being in the game, you simply multiply the goals by the points for a goal and then add in the bonus points at the end to get your final score. Just like calculating the taxi fare!
Key Concepts
-
Equation Formation: The process of creating an equation from a real-world scenario.
-
Cost Calculation: Applying the formulated equation to determine total expenses based on variable inputs.
Examples & Applications
A taxi charges a fixed rate of $5 plus $2 per km. If you travel 10 km, the total cost can be calculated as C = 2x + 5, resulting in $25.
If a gym charges a monthly fee of $30 plus $5 for each class attended, the cost for attending 4 classes would be C = 4(5) + 30, totaling $50.
Memory Aids
Interactive tools to help you remember key concepts
Rhymes
For every kilometer, two bucks you'll pay, plus five on the meter to make your day, hey!
Stories
Imagine you're taking a taxi to your party. The driver smiles and says it's $5 just to start, and $2 for each laugh you share as you drive, keeping it in your heart!
Memory Tools
For taxi costs, think of '2km + 5$' or use '2 x K + 5'.
Acronyms
Use the acronym TFC for Taxi Fare Calculation
= Total cost
= Fixed cost
= Cost per km.
Flash Cards
Glossary
- Linear Equation
An equation that makes a straight line when graphed, with each term being a constant or a product of a constant and a single variable.
- Variable Cost
A cost that varies depending on the quantity of usage, such as distance traveled in a taxi ride.
- Fixed Cost
A cost that does not change with the level of output; for example, a base fare on a taxi ride.
Reference links
Supplementary resources to enhance your learning experience.