measurement & geometry

On your GED test you might get word problems that require you to calculate using one kind of unit and give an answer in another kind. Often you will have mixed units, such as when the length of something is a combination of feet and inches or the age of someone is years and months. Keep your head about you! And keep these rules in mind:

1. To change from larger units to smaller units, multiply. (e.g. 3 weeks = 21 days b/c 3 x 7 = 21)

2. To change from smaller units to larger units, divide. (e.g. 48 inches = 4 feet b/c 48 ÷ 12 = 4)

• The longest side of a triangle is called the hypotenuse. In a right triangle, the hypotenuse squared is equal to the sum of each of the two sides squared. 

• All angles of a triangle add up to 180 degrees.

• If you want to know the distance around a triangle (its perimeter), just add up the three sides.

• If you want to know the area inside a triangle, multiply its base by its height and then cut that in half. Or use this formula: A = 1/2 bh. 

Here is a colorful explanation of the Pythagorean Theorem. 

Here is a colorful explanation of the Pythagorean Theorem. 

1. Look back to yesterday's work and finish up what you need practice on. If you feel confident in the first four, just make sure you do the last two worksheets of word problems. 

2. Complete today's word problems. There are two worksheets. 

3. Send me any answers you have. 

2. Complete the following worksheets and scroll down for the answers. Remember that in math,"of" means "multiply." So if the problem asks you to figure out what is 3/8 of 128, you should multiply.

If it helps, go right to the question at the end of the problem first, and create a "word ratio" to use as your template. For example, for Problem 1a in the first worksheet, you can see that what they want is the ratio of green marbles to all the marbles. You can write "green"/"all" and then you're ready to create your fraction (of numbers) to go with it. Don't forget to reduce your answer to simplest form.

Feel free to call, text, or zoom me during class hours if you need help!

1. Feel free to look at or practice any of yesterday's problems you did not get to.

2. "Solve Ratio and Proportion Problems" worksheet. Remember to set up a proportion using equivalent ratios. It helps if you create a "word" ratio first, showing which category is on the top and which is on the bottom. For example, you might put "inches" (numerator, top) to "miles" (denominator, bottom). Then you will know where to put your numbers and your missing value, x. Find x through Cross Multiply & Divide method. 

3. "Apply the Strategy" has two pages of percent problems to do. Remember that for those proportions, you can put the 100 in the bottom right fraction to get you started. That's your "percent" fraction. The first fraction will be your "part/whole" fraction. Then Cross Multiply & Divide to find your answer.

4. Send me your work so I can count your attendance! If you'd like help, text me and I will zoom with you.