Problem 53 - Introductory Algebra for College Students

Question

Determine whether each statement "makes sense" or "does not make sense" and explain your reasoning. I find the hardest part in solving a word problem is writing the equation that models the verbal conditions.

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

The statement makes sense due to the inherent challenge of translating a wordy problem into a mathematical equation for many students.

Step 1: Understand the Statement

First off, we need to understand what this statement is saying. It tells that the individual finds the most difficult part of solving a word problem is the process of creating the equation that models the verbal conditions given in the problem.

Step 2: Consider Practical Problem-solving in Mathematics

In the process of solving word problems in mathematics, one of the key steps is indeed transforming the verbal conditions or the 'word' part of the problem into a mathematical equation. This includes understanding the problem's context, identifying the quantities involved, figuring out the relations between them, and representing these relations in the form of a mathematical equation. This could certainly be considered a challenging stage for many students.

Step 3: Finalize the Judgment

Given the challenges that are often involved in translating verbal conditions into an appropriate mathematical equation during problem-solving, we can conclude that the statement 'I find the hardest part in solving a word problem is writing the equation that models the verbal conditions' does make sense.