The Math Storyteller: How to Unravel Word Problems of Two-step Equations

1. The Characters: Two-step Equations

In our stories, two-step equations play a leading role. These equations take us on a journey of solving for an unknown, step by step.

2. The Plot: Word Problems

The word problems set the stage for our adventure. They describe a scenario that we need to translate into a two-step equation and solve.

Your Adventure Guide to Word Problems of Two-step Equations

Let’s work through the journey:

Step 1: Understand the Problem

Read the problem carefully, just like you would a story. What is happening? What do we need to find?

Step 2: Translate the Words into an Equation

Take the scenario and turn it into a two-step equation. Look for clues in the problem that indicate mathematical operations.

Step 3: Solve the Equation

Apply the two-step equation-solving skills we learned previously to find the unknown.

Consider this example: Jenny saves \($15\) from her allowance every week. After \(5\) weeks, she has \($95\). How much money did Jenny start with?

1. Understand the Problem: We need to find how much money Jenny started with. She saves \($15\) every week for \(5\) weeks, and now she has \($95\).
2. Translate the Words into an Equation: If Jenny started with x dollars, then according to the problem, \(x + 15\times 5 = 95\).
3. Solve the Equation: We solve this two-step equation to find that \(x = $20\).

And thus, our adventure concludes! With each word problem, we’re not just solving equations – we’re unraveling a math story. Practice makes perfect, so keep going on these math adventures and soon you’ll become the ultimate math storyteller. Until our next adventure, happy problem-solving!