Problem 121 - Prealgebra

Question

Bike riding Ethan rode his bike 14 miles on Monday, 19 miles on Tuesday, 12 miles on Wednesday, 25 miles on Friday, and 68 miles on Saturday. What was the total number of miles Ethan rode?

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

138 miles

Step 1: Identify the Distances

List down the distances Ethan rode on each day: Monday - 14 miles, Tuesday - 19 miles, Wednesday - 12 miles, Friday - 25 miles, Saturday - 68 miles.

Step 2: Add the Distances

Calculate the total distance by adding all the distances together: \( 14 + 19 + 12 + 25 + 68 \).

Step 3: Perform the Addition

Add the numbers step by step: \( 14 + 19 = 33 \) \( 33 + 12 = 45 \) \( 45 + 25 = 70 \) \( 70 + 68 = 138 \)

Step 4: Total Distance

The total distance Ethan rode his bike is 138 miles.

Key Concepts

Distance Calculation

In problems involving distance calculation, we often need to sum up distances traveled on different days. This helps to determine total distance covered.

For example, in our exercise, Ethan's bike rides involved different distances each day: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.
To calculate the total distance, list down each individual distance first.

The distances Ethan rode are:

• Monday: 14 miles
• Tuesday: 19 miles
• Wednesday: 12 miles
• Friday: 25 miles
• Saturday: 68 miles

Once all distances are identified, the next step is to sum these values.

Step-by-Step Problem Solving

Breaking down a problem into smaller steps helps in understanding and solving the problem better. Let's see how this works with our example.

Step 1: Identify and list the distances. This helps us see what we are dealing with.
Step 2: Start adding the distances. It’s beneficial to write each calculation step by step.
Step 3: Keep a running total. Adding each distance sequentially helps avoid errors and ensures you cover all parts.

In this problem:

• First 14 + 19 = 33
• Next adding 12: 33 + 12 = 45
• Then 25: 45 + 25 = 70
• Finally adding 68: 70 + 68 = 138

Breaking down the problem into these steps makes it clear and manageable.

Summation of Numbers

Summation of numbers is a fundamental arithmetic operation. It's crucial for calculating totals in situations like distance, expenses, or scores.

For clear understanding, let’s walk through the example:
Each number represents a distance traveled by Ethan on different days.

To find the sum, start from the left and add each number one at a time.

• Begin with 14 and add 19 to it: 14 + 19 = 33
• Next, take that result (33) and add 12: 33 + 12 = 45
• Then, add 25 to 45: 45 + 25 = 70
• Finally, add 68 to 70: 70 + 68 = 138

By following this method, we ensure that each number is included and calculated in sequence, giving us the correct total distance of 138 miles.