SOLVING EQUATIONS USING

ADDITION OR SUBTRACTION
• An Addition Equation is an equation involving the
sum of a number and a variable. An addition equation
can be solved by subtracting the same number from
each side of the equation so that the variable is
isolated on one side of the equation.
• A Subtraction Equation is an equation involving the
difference between a variable and a number. You can
also solve a subtraction equation by adding the same
number on each side of the equation. The goal is the
same: to isolate the variable on one side of the
equation.
RECALL: Subtraction Property of Equality

Subtracting the same number from

x+a=b
x+a–a=b–a
RECALL: Addition
RECALL: Subtraction PropertyProperty
of Equality of
Subtracting the same number from each side of an equation
Equality
produces a new equation having the same solution as the
original.
Adding the same number on each side
of an xequation
+a=b produces
x + a –aanew
= b – aequation

having the same solution as the

x–a=b
x–a+a=b+a
Examples: Solve each equation.
1. x + 5 = 11 2. -5x = 18 – 6x

Solutions:
1. x + 5 = 11 Write the original equation.
x + 5 - 5 = 11 – 5 Apply the subtraction property. Subtract 5 from ach side.
x=6 Simplify.
Check : Substitute 6 for the variable in the original equation.
x + 5 = 11 Write the original equation.
6 + 5 = 11 Substitute 6 for x.
11 = 11 Both sides are the same.
 2. -5x = 18 – 6x
-5x + 6x = 18 – 6x + 6x
x = 18

Write an algebraic equation for each sentence and solve the resulting equation.
1. The water level fell 12.5 feet from a high tide to a low tide. The water level
at the pier was 9.25 feet at low tide. Find the water level at the pier at high
tide.
2. After depositing a check worth P7,500.00, the new balance in your account
is P18,000.00. Find the amount that was in your account before you made
the deposit.
Solution:
1. High tide water level = x (feet)
drop in water level = 12.5 (feet)
low tide water level = 9.25 (feet)
algebraic model: x – 12.5 = 9.25
x – 12.5 = 9.25 Write the original equation.
x – 12.5 + 12.5 = 9. 25 + 12.5 add 12.5 to each side. Simplify.
x = 21. 75 ft. Simplify.
2.
SOLVING SIMPLE EQUATIONS USING
MULTIPLICATION AND DIVISION
• A multiplication equation is an equation involving
a product of a variable and a number. You can
solve a multiplication equation by dividing.
Again, the goal is to isolate the variable on one
side of the equation.
• A division equation is an equation involving a
quotient of a variable and a non-zero number. You
can solve a division equation by multiplying.
Division Property of Equality
Dividing each side of the equation by the same non-zero number
produces a new equation having the same solution as the original.

ax = b , where a

Multiplication Property of Equality

=b , where a
Examples: Solve each equation.
1. 8x = 72 2. -20 =
Solutions:
1. Isolate the variable x.
8x = 72 Write the original equation.
Apply division property. Divide each side by 8.
x=9 Simplify.
2. Isolate the variable n.
-20 = Write the original equation.
3.5 (-20) = 3.5 Multiply both sides by 3.5.
-70 = n Simplify.
WORD PROBLEMS
READING: reading Mathematics is different from reading an
ordinary story or reading an a newspaper. When we read a
problem in Mathematics, we must be sure we catch each
word. Also, we must keep asking ourselves two questions:
1. How would we represent this in mathematical terms?
2. Is the piece of information necessary?
REPRESENTING THE UNKNOWN: the unknown numbers in
the problem can be represented in several ways. For
example, if one number is thrice another, we can represent
them as x and 3x; we can also represent them as x and y.
Always choose the simplest representation .
RELATING THE UNKNOWNS: look for keywords that
translate into equals. Some of these words are: is, are,
was, make, and is equal to.
EQUATION FORMING: as the unknowns in the problem
are correctly represented, then the meaning of the story
can easily be obtained by expressing these into an
equation.
SOLVING AND PROVING: we already know the methods
in solving equations and we can easily check the answers
to see if they satisfy the problem.
NUMBER PROBLEM:
Examples:
1. The sum of two numbers is 60. The larger number is
four times the smaller. Find the smaller number.
Solution:
Let: x = smaller number.
60 – x = larger number
60 – x = 4x
2. The sum if two numbers is 50. the second number is 8
more than the first number. Find the numbers.
Let: x = the first number
50 – x = the second number
50 – x = x + 8
3. The sum of two numbers is 30. the second number is 6
more than the first number. Find the numbers.
4. Find three consecutive even integers whose sum is
138.
Solution: Let x = the first integer
x + 2 = the second integer
x + 4 = the third integer
Their sum is 138, so,
x + x + 2 + x + 4 = 138.
5. Find three consecutive even integers whose sum is 168.
6. The unis digit of a two-digit number is one more than four
times the tens digit. Find the number if the sum of the digits
is 11.
Solution: Let x = tens digit
4x + 1 = the units digit
x + 4x + 4 = 11
7. The units digit of a two-digit number is one more than
thrice the tens digit. Find the number if the sum of the digits
is 9.
AGE PROBLEM
1. Michael is one-fourth as old as his father. Next
year, their ages will total 42 years. How old is
each now?
Solution: Let x = Michael’s age in years now.
4x = father’s age in years now.
Next year, their ages will total 42.
(x + 1) + (4x + 1) = 42
2. Nikko is one-third as old as his father. Next year, their
ages will total 70 years. How old is each now?
3. The sum of Robin’s age and Bruno’s age is 45. Seven
years ago, Robin was 16 years more than one-half as old
as Bruno was then. How old is Bruno?
Solution: Let x = Bruno’s age
45 – x = Robin’s present age
4. The sum of Arnold’s age and Arvin’s age is 41. Seven
years ago, Arnold was 15 years more than one-half as old
as Arvin was then. How old is Arvin?
5. Carlos is half as old as Ramon while Jun is 11 years
older than Carlos. If half of Ramon’s age four years from
now will be 9 years less than the sum of half Jun’s age 4
years from now and Carlos’ present age, find the ages of
each.
Solution: Let x = Ramon’s present age
x = Carlos’ present age
x + 11 = Jun’s present age
6. Dennis is half as old as Alvin, while Fred is 14 years
older than Dennis. If half of Alvin’s age four years from
now will be 11 years less than the sum of Fred’s age 4
years from now and Dennis’ present age, find the ages of
each.
7. Mrs. Zamora is 36 years old and her son is 4. When will
the mother be thrice as old as her son?
Solution: Let: x = the number of years that the mother
will be thrice as old as her son
36 + x = mother’s age
7. Mrs. Ramos is 28 years old and her son is 6. When will
the mother be twice as old as her son?
WORK PROBLEMS
Strategy used for solving Work Problems:
1. if the job is completed in x days, then the rate is 1/x
job/day.
2. Construct a table showing rate, time, and work
completed (rate x time = work) for each person or
machine.
3. The total work completed is the sum of the individual
amounts of work completed.
4. If the job is complete, then the total work done is 1 job.
Examples: State the work rate of each.
1. Mimie can clean the room in 3 hours.
Solution: 1/3 job per hour
2. Mrs. Adoracion can edit a book in 6 hours.
3. Aris can load the truck in 20 minutes.
4. Roel can paint a room in 5 hours and Vergel can do it in
6 hours. What part of the job can they do by working for
(a) 2 hours? (b) x hours?
Solution: a. Roel can paint 2/5 of the room in 2 hours.
Vergel can paint 2/6 or 1/3 of the room in
2 hours.
Hence, for 2 hours, they can paint
2/5 + 1/3 = 11/15 of the room.
 Solution: b. part done by Roel in x hours: x/5
part done by Vergel in x hours: x/6
x/5 + x/6 = 11x/30
5. Jun can paint a room in 4 hours and Arnold can do it in
7 hours. What part of the job they do by working for (a) 2
hours? (b) x hours?
6. Cynthia can wallpaper a room in 4 hours and her
brother can do it in 6 hours. How long would it take them if
they work together?
 Solution: Let x = number of hours required to do the
job together.