Problem SolvingEnglish to Algebra

English to Algebra

Almost all “direct translation” story problems can be written as an algebraic equation exactly as they are written in English.

The one important exception to this is the word “than”

Than reverses the order from the English.

Than reverses the order

Than reverses the order from the English.

3 more than x => x + 33 is first in English and last in algebra

5 less than y => y – 55 is first in English and last in algebra

Than reverses the order

Take the English sentence:Mary is 3 years younger than

John. M = J – 3

The comparison on the right has to start with John, because if you don’t know his age you’ll never know Mary’s.

John comes last in English but must come first in algebra.

Vocabulary

These words are used frequently in story problems:

is means =of means times sum means adddifference means subtractproduct means multiplyquotient means divide

Tricky!

The product of 5 and the sum of x and 6.

The product of 5 and => 5( )

What comes after the “and” goes in the ( )the sum of x and 6 => x + 6

Answer: 5( x + 6 )

Tricky!

The sum of 5 and the product of x and 6.

The sum of 5 and => 5 + ( )

What comes after the “and” goes in the ( )the product of x and 6 => 6x

Answer: 5 + 6x

English to Algebra

• Know your vocabulary• Write it in the same order

• Except – than changes order

• Do a lot of these for practice• Most people can solve the

algebra• Setting it up is the key!