18Algebra Problems
In this chapter we'll set out to find the ages of various people, the identities of groups of numbers, and the composition of various mixtures. What do these different problems have in common? Each involves the search for x, the unknown.
These exercises are some of the traditional applications of basic algebra and will develop your algebraic reasoning. They are a controlled training ground, allowing you to sharpen your skills, and gain the confidence to apply algebra to real questions. So, yes, it is silly to think that someone would know that Tom is twice as old as Mary was three years ago, and not know how old Tom is, but you will practice representing situations in ways that algebra can clarify.
The work of this chapter ...
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