Ann sells apples and Beth sells oranges. Today, half the number of apples than Ann sold was fifteen less than thrice as much the number of oranges that Beth sold.

Question

Ann sells apples and Beth sells oranges. Today, half the number of apples than Ann sold was fifteen less than thrice as much the number of oranges that Beth sold.

I just want it to know; how do I convert it into an algebraic expression or equation? Is confusing and I don't get it. Can someone please help?

Hope this helps :)
1/2A=3o-15

Thanks! :-)

Answer 1

To convert the given statement into an algebraic expression or equation, follow these steps:

Step 1: Assign variables to unknown quantities.
Let's say A represents the number of apples Ann sold, and o represents the number of oranges Beth sold.

Step 2: Break down the problem into smaller parts.
The given information states that "Today, half the number of apples than Ann sold was fifteen less than thrice as much the number of oranges that Beth sold."

Breaking it down:
- "Half the number of apples than Ann sold" can be expressed as 1/2A.
- "Thrice as much the number of oranges that Beth sold" can be expressed as 3o.
- "Fifteen less" can be represented as -15.

Step 3: Translate the smaller parts into an algebraic expression and connect them with the appropriate operators.
Based on the breakdown from Step 2, we can formulate the equation as:

1/2A = 3o - 15

This equation represents the relationship stated in the given problem.