Integer Word Problems
In these lessons, we will look at Integer Word Problems that have more than two unknowns.
In another set of lessons, we have some examples of Integer Word Problems that involve two unknowns.
Related Pages
Consecutive Integer Word Problems
Consecutive Integers 1
Consecutive Integers 2
More Algebra Word Problems
Integer Problems With More Than Two Unknowns
Integer Problems with three unknowns are not necessarily more difficult than integer word problems with two unknowns. You just have to be careful when relating the different unknowns.
Example:
Jane and her friends were selling cookies. They sold 4 more boxes the second week than they did the first. On the third week, they doubled the sale of their second week. Altogether, they sold a total of 352 boxes. How many boxes did they sell in the third week?
Solution:
Step 1: Sentence: They sold 4 more boxes the second week than they did the first. On the third week, they doubled the sale of their second week.
Assign variables:
| Let | x = | boxes sold in the first week |
| x + 4 = | boxes sold in the second week | |
| 2(x + 4) = | boxes sold in the third week |
Sentence: She sold a total of 350 boxes
x + x + 4 + 2(x + 4) = 352
Remove the brackets and combine like terms
x + x + 4 + 2x + 8 = 352
4x + 12 = 352
Isolate variable x
4x = 340
Step 2: The question asks for boxes sold in the third week.
Plug x = 85 into 2(x + 4) = 178
Answer: In the third week, they sold 178 boxes.
Example:
The sum of three numbers is 12. The first is five times the second and the sum of the first
and third is 9. Find the numbers.
Advanced Consecutive Integer Problems
Example:
(1) Find three consecutive positive integers such that the sum of the two smaller integers
exceed the largest integer by 5.
(2) The sum of a number and three times its additive inverse is 16. Find the number.
Example:
The largest of five consecutive even integers is 2 less than twice the smallest. Which of
the following is the largest integer?
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