Noah11012
Answered

I need help on a algebra word problem...


There is a rat and a mouse.

The rat is x years old.

The mouse is 15 years younger than the rat...

How to convert that into a math equation...

Verified Answer :

AL2006


Step #1: 
Make up symbols for the age of the rat
and the age of the mouse.

They already told you that 'x' is the age of the rat.
Let's say that 'M' is the age of the mouse. 

Step #2:
Translate the words into a math sentence,
something like this:

"The mouse is              15 years younger than      the rat."
             \/                                    \/                                \/  
"The mouse's age is    15 years less than            the rat's age."

The mouse's age      is        the rat's age          but 15 years less.
           \/                    \/                \/                          \/
           M                   =                x                        - 15

                            M  =  x - 15

Does this help you see it ?

Since their is a rat and a mouse, we need to figure out their ages.

Ok, so we know that the rat is x years old, we also know that the mouse is 15 years YOUNGER than the rat. 

Let us set up an equation.

We know that younger usually refers to subtraction.
And we know that x is our variable, and that we need to solve for the mouses age.

m = mouse
x= rats age

m = x - 15

Our final answer: The equation is m= x - 15

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