How do you solve word problems involving formulas?

Question

9081 views around the world

You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License

Answer 1 · 2015-09-20T13:23:41

By reading.

The way you interpret the problem is the start, let me give you an example:

Triangle "1" Has 3 sides, #A#, #B#, and #C#. #A# Is equal to #3#, #B# is equal to #4#. Find #C#.

Using Pythagoras' Theorem, we know #A^2 + B^2 = C^2#

#A^2 = 9#, #B^2 = 16 implies A^2 + B^2 = 9 + 16 = 25#

SInce #C^2 = A^2 + B^2 = 25#, you know that

#C = sqrt(C^2) = sqrt(25) = 5#

You simply find out what value goes with what part of the formula, and do this for each, and then work out the formula as normal.