Friday, November 12, 2010

WORD PROBLEM ANALYSIS

WORD PROBLEM - grade8 :
  Silver's Cleaners decided to raise the price of dry cleaning a sports coat from $4.00 to $5.00. The same percentage increase was applied to dry cleaning a jacket. The old cost of dry cleaning a jacket was $10.00. What is the new cost of dry cleaning a jacket?


Is it practical?
I think it is practical.
Let x = percent increase

Can it be solved with the given info?
Yes.

 4.00 * x = 5.00
 x = 5.00/4.00 * 100% = 125%
10.00 * 125% = $12.50 is the new cost of cleaning a jacket

Can it be interpreted in more than one way?
No. The language used is simple and realistic.

Would the kids be able to interpret it as intended?
Kids may not be able to interpret it as intended.Students with out thinking anymore can come up with answer as $11. This solutions is abvious for them to come up with because they can misinterpret the word "same" as same price increase instead of paying attention on same percemt increase. If the price increase is from $4 to $5 then  for $10 it will be $11.
Is there anything strange about it?
I didnot found any thing strange about the problem.

How would you change it?
I will rephrase ther problem so that can understand it. 
Silver's Cleaners decided to raise the price of dry cleaning a sports coat from $4.00 to $5.00. The old cost of dry cleaning a jacket was $10.00. What is the new cost of dry cleaning a jacket, if the price increase in terms of percentage remains same.

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