![]() ![]() When I solve a word problem, I think my time ratio is the reverse: I spend closer to 75% of my time trying to make absolutely sure I have interpreted the words correctly and fully understand the nature of the question, then 25% of my time using math to find the answer. I have watched many people work on word problems, and most seem to spend 25% of their time translating the word problem into mathematical notation, then 75% of their time solving the resulting math problem. ![]() Since you cannot avoid them, you had might as well learn how to solve them once and for all. The SAT makes liberal use of them as well. Just about every level of mathematics, not to mention chemistry and physics, seems to send periodic spasms of word problems your way. ![]() So why are so many word problems assigned? Because they are more similar to the quantitative problems you might encounter in life than many of the practice problems in your textbook: you have to supply some insight and organization in order to arrive at a solution. And if the problem’s author did not choose their words very carefully, you’ve got Trouble (with a capital T). Most of their reputation arises from their use of words to describe a quantitative problem.
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