Problem 500 - Prealgebra

Question

Running Jackson ran 4 miles on Monday, 12 miles on Tuesday, 1 mile on Wednesday, 8 miles on Thursday, and 5 miles on Friday. What was the total number of miles Jackson ran?

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

Jackson ran a total of 30 miles.

Step 1: List the Miles Run Each Day

Identify the number of miles Jackson ran each day: Monday: 4 miles, Tuesday: 12 miles, Wednesday: 1 mile, Thursday: 8 miles, and Friday: 5 miles.

Step 2: Add the Miles for Monday and Tuesday

Add the miles from Monday and Tuesday: 4 + 12 = 16 miles.

Step 3: Add the Miles for Wednesday

Include the miles from Wednesday: 16 + 1 = 17 miles.

Step 4: Add the Miles for Thursday

Include the miles from Thursday: 17 + 8 = 25 miles.

Step 5: Add the Miles for Friday

Include the miles from Friday: 25 + 5 = 30 miles.

Key Concepts

daily tracking

To understand how much Jackson ran each day, we need to track his daily miles. In this exercise, Jackson ran different distances each day from Monday to Friday. Tracking daily activities helps us capture progress over time. List down the details:

• Monday: 4 miles
• Tuesday: 12 miles
• Wednesday: 1 mile
• Thursday: 8 miles
• Friday: 5 miles

By noting down these daily values, it helps us keep clear records which is useful for tracking improvement and setting goals.
This process of daily tracking not only applies to running but to any activity you'd like to monitor over time

cumulative addition

Once you've tracked daily miles, it's time to add them up cumulatively. Cumulative addition involves adding values step-by-step to maintain a running total. For example, adding Jackson's mileage:

• Monday to Tuesday: 4 + 12 = 16 miles
• Next, add Wednesday: 16 + 1 = 17 miles
• Then, add Thursday: 17 + 8 = 25 miles
• Finally, add Friday: 25 + 5 = 30 miles

By adding each day's mileage cumulatively, we ensure that we don't miss any day and keep an accurate running total.
Cumulative addition is useful beyond just running miles, it can be applied in budgeting, calculating total work hours and many other scenarios.

problem solving

This exercise involves problem-solving skills to determine the total miles Jackson ran over five days. Start by defining the problem: How many miles did Jackson run in total? Break down the problem into smaller steps:
1. List miles run each day.
2. Add each day's miles cumulatively until you reach a total.
This structured approach to problem-solving helps in organizing your thoughts and steps logically. For instance:

• Identifying the values: 4, 12, 1, 8, 5 miles
• Breaking down the addition: 4 + 12 = 16, 16 + 1 = 17, 17 + 8 = 25, 25 + 5 = 30

Solving addition problems this way ensures accuracy and clarity.
Such problem-solving techniques can be applied in various real-life situations, simplifying complex tasks.