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Grade 8 · Math

8th grade Word problems that need two equations worksheet

6 printable versionsBuilding Confidence10 questions · answer keyFree · no account

Level: Building Confidence · On Level · Challenge Me

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Word problems that need two equations

Grade 8 Math Worksheet - Building Confidence

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Circle the best answer, or write your answer on the line.

  1. Read this first

    Use this

    Two tables (x | y). Animals, x + y = 9: 3 | 6; 4 | 5; 5 | 4; 6 | 3. Legs, 2x + 4y = 26: 1 | 6; 3 | 5; 5 | 4; 7 | 3.

  2. At a farm, Ren counts 9 animals, ducks (x) and horses (y), with 26 legs in all. Which pair (ducks, horses) is in both tables?

  3. Use this

    Two tables (x | y). Tents, x + y = 10: 4 | 6; 5 | 5; 6 | 4; 7 | 3. Campers, 2x + 4y = 28: 2 | 6; 4 | 5; 6 | 4; 8 | 3.

  4. Esme's camp has 10 tents: small ones for 2 campers (x) and big ones for 4 (y), 28 campers in all. Which pair (small tents, big tents) is in both tables?

  5. Use this

    Two condition tables (x | y). Number of party tables, x + y = 7: 2 | 5; 3 | 4; 4 | 3; 5 | 2. Seats, 4x + 6y = 34: 1 | 5; 4 | 3; 7 | 1.

  6. Jun sets up 7 tables for a class party, some with 4 seats (x) and some with 6 (y), 34 seats in all. Which pair (4-seat, 6-seat) is in both condition tables?

  7. Luz's quiz has 14 questions: x are worth 2 points and y are worth 5 points. Luz could score 43 points in all. Which system fits?

    • x + y = 43 and 2x + 5y = 14
    • 2x + 5y = 14 and 2x + 5y = 43
    • x + y = 14 and 5x + 2y = 43
    • x + y = 14 and 2x + 5y = 43
  8. Noah's bean plant is 5 cm and grows 3 cm a week; the pea plant is 11 cm and grows 1 cm a week. Which system gives each height y after x weeks?

    • y = 3x + 11 and y = x + 5
    • y = 3x + 5 and y = x + 11
    • y = 5x + 3 and y = 11x + 1
    • y = 8x and y = 12x
  9. By Pia's fence, the sunny snowbank is 30 cm, losing 4 cm a day; the shady bank is 18 cm, losing 1 cm a day. Which system gives each depth y on day x?

    • y = 4x + 30 and y = x + 18
    • y = 30x - 4 and y = 18x - 1
    • y = -4x + 18 and y = -x + 30
    • y = -4x + 30 and y = -x + 18
  10. Tala's team made 10 baskets, 2-pointers and 3-pointers, for 24 points. Could it be 6 two-pointers and 4 three-pointers?

    • Yes: it fits both facts.
    • No: it fits neither fact.
    • No: it fits only the number of baskets.
    • No: it fits only the points.
  11. A field has 8 animals, ducks and horses, with 22 legs. Zee guesses 6 ducks and 2 horses. Does the guess fit the story?

    • No: it fits neither fact.
    • No: it fits only the number of animals.
    • No: it fits only the legs.
    • Yes: it fits both facts.
  12. Bo's bean plant is 6 cm, growing 3 cm a week; the pea plant is 18 cm, growing 1 cm a week. The gap shrinks 2 cm a week. When are they equal (weeks, cm)?

  13. Luz: short book at page 10, +25 pages a day; long book at page 40, +10 a day. The gap shrinks 15 pages a day. When do the pages match? Give (days, page).

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8th grade Word problems that need two equations worksheet – printable
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About this worksheet

Word problems that need two equations. Every version has 10 questions, and the answer key prints on the second page.

What your child will learn

  • I can turn a story into two equations, one for each fact, and say which letter stands for what.
  • I can solve the story and give the answer as the pair the question asks for, such as (2-pointers, 3-pointers).
  • I can tell from a story whether two amounts are never, always or exactly once equal.

Standard: 8.EE.C.8c

Words to know

condition: One fact in the story, such as "12 baskets in all".

condition table: The pairs (x, y) that fit one condition.

count total / value total: How many things in all / what they are worth, add up to, or hold.

rate / start: How much is added each step / the amount at step 0.

gap: How far apart two amounts are at one step.

Common mistakes

Your child found where the two lines meet but wrote the point backward, with the up number first.

Your child found where the two lines meet but gave only the first number, not the whole point.

Your child checked the point in one equation only and said it solves the system.

What to say

Ask: which number goes across, and which goes up?

Ask: at that spot, how high are the lines?

Ask: does it also work in the other equation?

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with word problems that need two equations?

Your child found where the two lines meet but wrote the point backward, with the up number first.

How can I help my child with word problems that need two equations?

Ask: which number goes across, and which goes up?

Are these 8th grade math worksheets free to print?

Yes. All 6 printable versions at each level are free to print, with the answer key, and no account is needed.

More grade 8 math

See all grade 8 math

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