Question

Dan and Kate used two different treadmills to exercise. The total distance walked between them was 3.7 miles. How do you state what quantity the variable x represents and express the second quantity in terms of x?

Answer 1

If `x` is the distance Dan walks, then `3.7-x` is the distance Kate walks.

Explanation:

Since we are not given any reason to do otherwise, we can define `x` as the distance one of them (either one, it doesn't matter) walked. Let's use Dan's mileage for this:

`x` = distance walked by Dan. This is the first expression needed.

Now, to find an expression for Kate's walk. You can do it this way:

Now let `y` represent the distance Kate walks.

Since the total distance is 3.7 miles, it must be that

`x+y=3.7`

So, `y =3.7 -x`

There is your second expression. The distance Kate walks is `3.7-x`