Question

I will medal! and fan!
It costs $100 to join a fitness center plus a monthly fee. You spent $700 last year at the fitness center. How much was the monthly fee? Write and solve an equation to determine the monthly fee.
Please help!!! :[

Answer 1

The first thing to do is understand what is going on with this question. Don't worry about writing the equation yet... just make a list of what we know and what we are trying to find.

Answer 2

We are trying to find "the monthly fee"

Answer 3

We know two pieces of information about the cost: 1) It costs $100 + "the monthly fee" and 2) last year cost $700 total

Answer 4

Does that make sense so far?

Answer 5

yeah it makes sense a little

Answer 6

OK, don't feel bad if it seems a bit confusing, you can do it! :) Let's look at an easier example before we move on.

Answer 7

Here's an easier question (see if this makes sense): Let's say you spend $1200 last year, how much did you spend per month?

Answer 8

This isn't part of the problem, I just want to make sure you understand this easier example. :)

Answer 9

Sense there is 12 months a year, you have to divide???
100 spend per month???
I think??:][:

Answer 10

YES! Perfect! :D

Answer 11

Good, you understand the basic math idea that we will use in our "harder" problem. :)

Answer 12

Let's go back to the harder question now, there's a little trick that we have to take care of.

Answer 13

Ok

Answer 14

Alright, so the question says that it cost $700 last year and we want to find the monthly fee (spend per month).

Answer 15

Now, we would really like to just divide 700/12, but that is not quite right for this question, it's a little more tricky.

Answer 16

Because the question says that it costs $100 PLUS a monthly fee

Answer 17

So, that $700 TOTAL COST has an extra $100 that shouldn't be counted.

Answer 18

In other words, the thing we should divide is $600 (that's the only part that is the monthly fee).

Answer 19

50

Answer 20

Right! The monthly fee is $50. So we have the answer, we just have to write the equation.

Answer 21

Which is kind of silly btw since we already know the answer now. :) But anyways...

Answer 22

An equation is just the steps you followed

Answer 23

So, one way to write the equation is to say this:

Answer 24

It costs $100 to join a fitness center plus a monthly fee: we write as math like this

cost = $100 + 12m, (we have to multiply by 12 since there are 12 months in a year)

You spent $700 last year at the fitness center: we write as math like this

cost = $700.

So setting equal we get:

100 + 12m = 700

Answer 25

solve for m and you should get 50 like we did in our head. :)

Answer 26

Any questions?

Answer 27

Ok this really helped me

Answer 28

glad it helped! Sometimes it's better to try and figure the problem out on your own before using equations. :)

Answer 29

Thanks for the help:]

Answer 30

yw! Keep up the good work!

Answer 31

bye

Answer 32

later!