Solve the word problem below using the steps given in the lesson. Show your equation and each step you take to solve it.

Question

Neil and Tom love to collect baseball cards. Neil has 83 more baseball cards than Tom. Neil has 517 baseball cards.

How many baseball cards does Tom have?

Answer 1

To solve the word problem step by step, we can follow these guidelines:

1. Understand the problem.
   We know that Neil has 517 baseball cards and that he has 83 more than Tom.

2. Define the variables.
   Let \( T \) represent the number of baseball cards that Tom has.

3. Write an equation based on the problem.
   According to the problem, since Neil has 83 more baseball cards than Tom, we can write the equation: \[ N = T + 83 \] where \( N \) (the number of baseball cards Neil has) is given as 517.

   Therefore, we can substitute 517 for \( N \): \[ 517 = T + 83 \]

4. Solve the equation for the variable \( T \).
   To find \( T \), we will isolate \( T \) on one side of the equation. We can do this by subtracting 83 from both sides: \[ 517 - 83 = T \] Calculating the left side: \[ 434 = T \]

5. State the conclusion.
   Tom has \( T = 434 \) baseball cards.

So, the final answer is that Tom has 434 baseball cards.

Answer 2

can you do it with less words and without all the symbols and slashes and can you make it a little less advanced

Answer 3

Sure! Here’s a simpler version of the solution:

1. Understand the problem: Neil has 83 more baseball cards than Tom, and Neil has 517 cards.

2. Identify what you need to find: We need to find out how many cards Tom has.

3. Set up the relationship: Since Neil has 83 more than Tom, we can say:

   • Tom's cards + 83 = Neil's cards
   • If we let T be the number of cards Tom has, then T + 83 = 517.

4. Solve for Tom’s cards:

   • Subtract 83 from both sides of the equation: 517 - 83 = T
   • Calculate: 434 = T.

5. Conclusion: Tom has 434 baseball cards.