In order to tackle word problems, we first need to start at the basics.

Starting from Part 1, I will explain each concept that leads up to the successful understanding and completion of word problems.

To find the first step, one will need to convert the word problem into an algebraic expression, for example:

Source

Let's look at the following:

The quotient of two numbers a and b is written as , where a is larger than b.

For example:

The quotient of two positive numbers is 6. If the smaller number is n, write an expression for the larger number.

The quotient of both the smaller and the larger number is written as:

Now try:

The quotient of two positive numbers is 13. If the smaller number is x, write an expression for the larger number.

Solution:

In Part 2, I will explain how to find the algebraic expression for the smaller of two numbers, given their difference and the larger two numbers.

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