The length of a train car is 506 feet. This is 5.8 feet less than 6 times the width. What is the width?

1 Answer
Tony B
Dec 5, 2016

Width is 85.3 feet

Explanation:

Let width be #w#

Breaking the question down into its component parts.

506 feet:#" "->506#
This is:#" "->506=#
5.8 feet less than:#" "->506=?-5.8#
6 times the width:#" "-> 506=(6xxw)-5.8#
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So initial condition is: #506=6w-5.8#

Add 5.8 to both sides

#506+5.8=6w+0#

#6w=511.8#

Divide both sides by 6

#6/6w=511.8/6#

But #6/6#=1#

#w=85.3#

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