Question

Bert and Ernie are missing each other and their friend Big Bird They want to meet at Big Bird's nest which is halfway from their apartments. The distance from Bert's apartment to Big Bird's nest (5x + 4) ismiles away while Ernie's apartment to Big Bird's nest is (15x-30) miles away How far are Bert and Ernie's apartments from Big Bird's nest?

Answer 1

Answer:

The distance between Bert and Ernie's apartments from Big Bird's nest

is 21 miles

Step-by-step explanation:

* Lets change the story problem to an equation to solve the problem

- The information i the story problem is

# The Big Bird's nest is halfway from there apartments

# The distance between Bert's apartment and Big Bird's nest is (5x + 4)

# The distance between Ernie's apartment and Big Bird's nest is (15x - 30)

* Now lets solve

∵ The Big Bird's nest is halfway from there apartments

∴ The distance between Bert's apartment and Big Bird's nest = The

   distance between Ernie's apartment and Big Bird's nest

∴ 5x + 4 = 15x - 30

- Collect the variable terms in one side and the numerical terms

 in th other side

∴ 15x - 5x = 30 + 4 ⇒ add

∴ 10x = 34

∴ x = 34 ÷ 10 = 3.4

* Now lets find the distance between Bert and Ernie's apartments

from the Big Bird's nest

- We can use any relation to find the distance

∵ The distance = 5x + 4

∵ x = 3.4

∴ The distance = 5(3.4) + 4 = 17 + 4 = 21 miles

You can check the answer by using second equation

∵ The distance = 15x - 30

∵ x = 3.4

∴ The distance = 15(3.4) - 30 = 51 - 30 = 21 miles