Strategies That Can Be Used In The Classroom To Solve Linear Word Problems
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Unit 3
Strategies That Can Be Used In The Classroom To Solve Linear Word Problems
Objective
The objective of this unit is for educators to look at different strategies to solve linear word problems. Educators must determine what will work best with their learners.
Stategy One
Steps to solving a linear word problem:
1. Read the first sentence and think about what is being asked or given. Continue doing this with each sentence.
2. Identify what is to be solved for in the problem. (Hint: Look for the question mark.)
3. Identify the variable(s). It (they) will be what needs to be solved for in the problem.
3. Write down all the given information.
4. Go back sentence by sentence and underline all the number words, circle all the operation words and write above each. This will help to set up the equation. Most of the time it will already be written above the words.
5. Set up the equations.
6. Solve the equations algebraically.
7. Does the answer make sense?
8. Write a complete sentence to answer.
Strategy Two
Watch this video to see what CUBES stands for:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lf7DO6R5imE
Activity
Using one of the strategies, solve the following word problems:
1. Allegany Cell Phone Company advertises service for 3 cents per minute plus a monthly fee of $29.95. If John's phone bill for the month of December was $38.95, find the number of minutes he used.
2. Jeannie has an older sister and a younger sister. Her older sister is one year more than twice Jeannie's age. Jeannie's younger sister is three years younger than she is. The sum of their three ages is 26. Find Jeannie's age.
3. The cost of 3 markers and 2 pencils is $1.80. The cost of 4 markers and 6 pencils is $2.90. What is the cost of each item?
4. Make up your own word problem(s) and have your students try the strategies to set up and solve it.