Bianca

1.5.1: Thinking Algebraically Grade 8 

For each of the following word problems, write an algebraic expression that represents the problem, then solve each question completely: 

1. You are selling drinks at the school dance. You have a cooler, which holds 35 cups. The canteen gets busy and you lose track of how many cups you sold. You check and see that there are 17 cups left in the cooler. How many drinks must you have sold? 

2. You are visiting a friend and their dog gets loose. You chase the dog to try and catch it. You chase it 2 blocks east; it turns and goes 5 blocks west, then 8 blocks east, then another 2 blocks east, 7 blocks west and 1 block east before you finally catch the dog. Use positive numbers to represent east blocks, and negative numbers to represent west blocks. How far are you from your friend’s house when you catch the dog? 

3. You buy tickets to a concert for you and your friends. You buy ten tickets at $12 each. Some of your friends pay you back. You are still owed $36 in the end. How many of your friends paid you back? 

4. Your school is having an open house. They decide to make bumper stickers with the school logo. The school budgeted $220 for the stickers. It costs $40 to make the design and another $2 for each sticker. How many stickers can the school buy? 

5. You go grocery shopping for fruit and spend $24. If you spent an equal amount on apples, bananas, oranges, kiwis, strawberries and pears, how much money did you spend on each type of fruit?

4. Your school is having an open house. They decide to make bumper stickers with the school logo. The school budgeted $220 for the stickers. It costs $40 to make the design and another $2 for each sticker. How many stickers can the school buy? 

3. You buy tickets to a concert for you and your friends. You buy ten tickets at $12 each. Some of your friends pay you back. You are still owed $36 in the end. How many of your friends paid you back? 

2. You are visiting a friend and their dog gets loose. You chase the dog to try and catch it. You chase it 2 blocks east; it turns and goes 5 blocks west, then 8 blocks east, then another 2 blocks east, 7 blocks west and 1 block east before you finally catch the dog. Use positive numbers to represent east blocks, and negative numbers to represent west blocks. How far are you from your friend’s house when you catch the dog? 

1. You are selling drinks at the school dance. You have a cooler, which holds 35 cups. The canteen gets busy and you lose track of how many cups you sold. You check and see that there are 17 cups left in the cooler. How many drinks must you have sold?