Sam and Kim picked 33 strawberries together. Kim picked 9 more than Sam. How many strawberries did Kim pick?
Understand the Problem
This is a word problem that requires setting up a system of equations to solve for the number of strawberries Kim picked. We know the total number of strawberries picked and the difference between Kim's and Sam's picks.
Answer
Kim picked 50 strawberries.
Answer for screen readers
Kim picked 50 strawberries.
Steps to Solve
- Define variables
Let $k$ be the number of strawberries Kim picked, and $s$ be the number of strawberries Sam picked.
- Write the equations based on the given information
We know that Kim picked 16 more strawberries than Sam which translates to: $$k = s + 16$$ We also know that together they picked 84 strawberries: $$k + s = 84$$
- Solve the system of equations
Substitute the first equation into the second equation: $$(s + 16) + s = 84$$
- Simplify and solve for s
Combine like terms: $$2s + 16 = 84$$ Subtract 16 from both sides: $$2s = 84 - 16$$ $$2s = 68$$ Divide by 2: $$s = \frac{68}{2}$$ $$s = 34$$
- Solve for k
Now that we know $s = 34$, we can find $k$ using the equation $k = s + 16$: $$k = 34 + 16$$ $$k = 50$$
Kim picked 50 strawberries.
More Information
Kim picked 50 strawberries, and Sam picked 34 strawberries. Together, they picked 84 strawberries, and Kim picked 16 more than Sam.
Tips
A common mistake is to misinterpret the problem and set up the equations incorrectly. For example, some might write $s = k + 16$ instead of $k = s + 16$. Always double-check that the equations accurately represent the information given in the problem. Another common mistake is making arithmetic errors while solving the equations.
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