Is there any FReeper Math whizzes that can help us?

[netmilsmom]

Okay, we have tons of algebra programs that can work with numbers but do not have any help with Story problems.

Can anyone tell us the formula for solving this, step by step.

Nine pounds of Sweet Potatoes cost the same as Six pounds of Apples. One pound of Sweet Potatoes cost twice as much as one pound of Onions. While a pound of Apples costs 24 cents more than a pound of Onions.

(we can't solve it with NO integers)

Can anyone tell us how to do this?

[SoftballMominVA]

rofl — guess you are!

To tell the truth, it looked like greek to me, good thing I teach reading!

I was inclined to go with the ‘elephant in the way’ explanation myself

[netmilsmom]

Can you tutor us all the time?

[Tanniker Smith]

Sure. And you can send some traffic to any of my web pages.

(Heaven knows that my students don't go there.)

[Lokibob]

“You forgot the Cap and Trade Tax and Healthcare holdbacks. Apples cost $6.50 except for people who don’t earn money. For them, the Taxpayers pay $12.50 a pound, since we have to pay the community organizers and make up for the taxes democrats don’t pay.”

You are ignoring the illegal farm workers that pick the onions, the Chinese that assemble the (apple) i-phones, and the sweet potato farmers of West Virginia. And none of them get more than a penny a pound.

.....Bob

[deks]

Use the solution in Reply #28....short, simple, clear, and correct!

[JenB]

One pound of Sweet Potatoes cost twice as much as one pound of onions. Why isn’t it 2S=O I’m just thick but is something is twice something else then the value should be two times that. So I can’t get past 2s = o If s is twice the cost of o.

No, converting from words to numbers can be tricky. Um... Ok, it says the sweet potatoes cost twice as much as the onions. So you can buy two pounds of onions for the same price as one pound of sweet potatoes, right? If the onions cost $1 then the potatoes cost $2.

1O = $1
1S = $2
2O = $2
20 = $2 = 1S

2 O = 1S

[netmilsmom]

If you’ll help homeschoolers, I’ll advertise for you on all the MI homeschool sites.

[netmilsmom]

I have to think about that for a while.

I’m Polish.

[Island Girl]

I’m not sure this will help, but I do know definitively that Million Mom Math says: 1 lb of Sweet Potatoes on the Lips = A Lifetime on the Hips.

Thank goodness my son was a whiz at Math and could help his younger sister....

[immadashell]

That is the clearest solution so far for me.

I learned that in public school 50 years ago before "New Math" screwed up all our kids minds.

[null and void]

That’s OK, I’ll tell it slowly...

[netmilsmom]

I’m not sure slow will help.

thanks so much everyone!!!!!!

Hey Metmom, do you know a good Algebra curriculum?

[Gandalf_The_Gray]

S=sweet potatoes
A=apples
On=onions

Given:
9S=6A
1S=2On
1A=1On+0.24

Divide both sides Of the first equation by 6 yields 1.5S=A
so then 1.5S=A=1On + 0.24
Divide both sides Of the 2nd equation by 2 yields 0.5S=On
Substituting in the previous yields 1.5S=0.5S +0.24
Subtracting 0.5S from both sides yields S=0.24 for the potatoes
Knowing that and S=2On the onions are 0.12
And from 1.5S=A we get A=1.5*0.24=0.36 for the apples

Checking
9S=6A 9*0.24=6*0.36 or 2.16=2.16
1S=2On 0.24=2*0.12 or 0.24=0.24
1A=1On+0.24 0.36=0.12+0.24 or 0.36=0.36

Regards,
GtG

PS As was mentioned it is Algebra and deals with simultaneous equations things get a lot more challenging when the numbers are allowed to change as a function of time leading to simultaneous differential equations.

[SoftballMominVA]

I’m impressed — I almost understand what you wrote there.

almost....

[SoftballMominVA]

You, on the other hand, lost me

[Old Professer]

try 36;24;12.

[JenB]

I can do it in Reverse Polish Notation if you like!

(sorry - recovering computer/math geek here. I actually made jokes about Reverse Polish Notation that got laughs back in my college days)

[MortMan]

It is a simple system of equations. Three variables, so three equations.

Nine pounds of Sweet Potatoes cost the same as Six pounds of Apples. One pound of Sweet Potatoes cost twice as much as one pound of Onions. While a pound of Apples costs 24 cents more than a pound of Onions.

9P = 6A
P = 2N ('O' looks too much like a zero, so N for onion)
A = N + 24

substituting the second equation into the first, we get:

9(2N) = 6A
18N = 6A

Substituting the third in, we now get:

18N = 6(N + 24)
18N = 6N + 144

Solving for N, we get:

N = 12

Using N to determine the others (using substitution) we get:

A = N + 24 = 12 + 24 = 36
P = 2N = 2(12) = 24

I'll let you do the checking! ;-P

[JenB]

By the way, what curriculum are you using? I learned with Saxon Math and I highly, highly, highly recommend it. If my answers made any sense at all to you, it’s because Saxon did so well that 13 years later I still remember their reasoning.

[Ohio Hermit]

I just know there is an eigenvalue floating around here somewhere - what little hair I have left is standing on end.