IXL | Solve equations with variables on both sides: word problems

Jen plans to sell homemade candles online. She spent $44 on a melting pot, and she will spend $4 on wax and $2 on a jar for each candle she makes. She will sell her candles for $10 each.

Which equation can you use to find

the number of candles Jen must sell for her sales to equal her expenses?

How many candles must Jen sell for her sales to equal her expenses?

candles

ref_doc_title.

Learn with an example

question

Jeanette and Carlos are participating in a novel-writing challenge. Jeanette has already started her novel and has written 48 pages so far. She will write an additional 4 pages each week. Carlos is just getting started, and he will write 10 pages each week.

Which equation can you use to find

the number of weeks it will take for Carlos to write as many pages as Jeanette?

How long will it take for Carlos to have written as many pages as Jeanette?

weeks

solution

You want to find

the number of weeks it will take for Carlos to write as many pages as Jeanette.

First, write an expression that represents the number of pages each person will write after

weeks.

Jeanette has written 48 pages so far, and she will write an additional 4 pages each

week.

So, the number of pages Jeanette will write after

weeks can be represented by

Carlos is just getting started, and he will write 10 pages each

week.

So, the number of pages Carlos will write after

weeks can be represented by

You can use the equation

to find the number of weeks it will take for Carlos to write as many pages as Jeanette. Solve for

Subtract

from both sides

Subtract

from both sides

Divide both sides by 6

So, it will take 8 weeks for Carlos to write as many pages as Jeanette.

Looking for more? Try these:

Lesson: Multi-step equations

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Work it out

Not feeling ready yet? These can help:

M.12Solve equations with variables on both sides

M.10Solve one-step and two-step equations: word problems

Lesson: Multi-step equations

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