The Problem

1. K2 samples 50 of the edges they manufacture daily for quality testing. Then it ship 1/4 of the remaining edges to subsidiary Elan. Then, of course, they use what's left in their own factory. If they wish to have 5,000 edges left for their own use, how many must they manufacture in the beginning?

 

Step One

Identify the goal of the problem

1. Look for the Question or Command

How many (edges) must they manufacture in the beginning?

2. Use the quantity referred to above to identify the variable (unknown) in the problem.

Let x be the number of edges K2 manufactures in a given day, prior to any being used for quality testing or being shipped to Elan.

 

Step Two

Choose your Favorite Number for x

Record the information framed below.

Let x be 150

 

 

Step Three

Check to see if 150 is the correct answer

After the 150 skis are made we must send 50 to be tested by Quality Assurance. This will leave 100 skis. However, in order to write the equation we want to express these 100 skis in terms of numbers given in the problem or in terms of our postulated 150. That is, we wish to write 100 in terms of red numbers.

I will let it be a multiple choice test for you to determine how to write 100 in terms of red numbers.The result will be one of the following: