gargantua

My math has between 8-10 of these kind of problems per lesson. They are easy, but when you have to do so many it gets tedious.

9 + x/5 - 2 = 4.8

9 + x/5 + (-2) =4.8

x/5 + 7 = 4.8

x/5 + 7 - 7 = 4.8 -7

x/5 = -2.2

5(x/5) = (-2.2)5

x = -11

I think I got that right.

Then I have a word problem in every lesson, todays went like this:

Translate the word problem into an equation; than solve.

While shopping with her husband (see practice e), Mrs. Gargantua bought 2 garden hoses (one to use as a necklace and the other to use as a leash for her per watchamacallit) and 2 giant flowerpots (both to use as summer hats). if the hoses cast $30 each, and the bill for all the items (hoses and flowerpots combined) was $96, ow much did each flower pot cost?

So the equation is: 2(30) + 2x = 96. The answer is $18 each

In case you are wondering what practice e is,

Gargantua bought to rakes (one to use as a backscratcher and the other as a comb) and 2 shovels (both to use as spoons). If the rakes cost $15 each, and the bill for all the item (rakes and shovels combined) was $25, how much did each shovel cost?

I don't do the practice, so you will have to figure that one out yourself. And who knows what a Gargantua is? Its a a voracious giant in François Rabelais' book of the same name. I wonder what the guy who wrote my math book reads.