Select the correct answer.

Question

Vicki and Tamra are working on their math homework together. Vicki has worked p problems, and Tamra has worked 4 times as many problems as Vicki. The expression shows how many problems they have worked altogether.

p + 4p

Which of the following is another expression that could be used to get the same result, and what does it represent?

Answer 1

The expression \( p + 4p \) combines the number of problems Vicki has worked, \( p \), with the number of problems Tamra has worked, \( 4p \). We can simplify this expression:

\[ p + 4p = 5p \]

Another expression that could represent the same total is \( 5 \times p \) or simply \( 5p \). This expression represents the total number of problems both Vicki and Tamra have worked together, which is 5 times the number of problems Vicki has worked.

Thus, \( 5p \) is equivalent to \( p + 4p \) and represents the combined total of problems worked by both Vicki and Tamra.