Answer:
9 weeks
Step-by-step explanation:
The first thing we should do to solve a word problem is to construct an equation. In this question we need to find how the number of weeks it takes her to save $158.00. So her savings should be equal to $158.00. Her savings made up of two things, her initial savings and the money she gets from babysitting. Each week she get $14.00 for babysitting.
Now to construct an equation we need to remember that her initial saving and her babysitting pay equals $158.00. To represent that she gets 14.00 each week we can use a variable, for example, let it be w. Now we need to turn these sentences into mathematic equation. That would be:
$32.00 + $14.00w = $158.00
This is the equation that represents the situation. Now using this we can find the number of weeks it takes Samantha to save a total of $158.00. To do that we need to find the value of w. To do that:
32.00 + 14.00w = 158.00 >>> (Subtract $32.00 on both sides)
14.00w = 158.00 - 32.00 >>> (Simplify)
14.00w = 126.00 >>> (Divide $14.00 on both sides)
w = 126.00/14.00 >>> (Simplify)
w = 9
w = 9 weeks
Let's crosscheck to make sure the answer is right. To do that substitute 9 in place of w:
$32.00 + $14.00(9) = $158.00
$32.00 + $126.00 = $158.00
$158.00 = $158.00
