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?

1 Answer
Dwight
Mar 19, 2017

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#

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