Math Problems with Solutions and Explanations for Grade 9

Detailed solutions and full explanations to grade 9 math word problems are presented.

1. Which number(s) is(are) equal to its (their) square?

Solution

If x is the number to find, its square is x2.

x is equal to its square hence: x = x2

Solve the above equation by factoring. First write with right side equal to zero.

x - x2 = 0

x(1 - x) = 0

solutions: x = 0 and x = 1

Check answers.

1) x = 0 , its square is 02 = 0 . Hence x and its square are equal.

2) x = 1 , its square is 12 = 1 . Hence x and its square are equal.

2. Which number(s) is(are) equal to half its (their) square?

Solution

Let x be the number to find. Half its square is (1/2) x2.

x is equal to half its square hence: x = (1/2) x2

First write with right side equal to zero.

x - (1/2) x2 = 0

x(1 - (1/2)x) = 0 , factor

solutions: x = 0 and x = 2

Check answers.

1) x = 0 , half its square is (1/2) 02 = 0 . Hence x and half its square are equal.

2) x = 2 , half its square is (1/2) 22 = 2 . Hence x and half its square are equal.

3. Which number(s) is(are) equal to the quarter of its (their) square?

Solution

If x is the number to find, then the quarter of its square is (1/4) x2.
 x is equal to the quarter of its square hence: x = (1/4) x2

First write the above equation with its right side equal to zero.

x - (1/4) x2 = 0

x(1 - (1/4)x) = 0 , factor x out

solutions: x = 0 and x = 4

Check answers.

1) x = 0 , quarter of its square is (1/4) 02 = 0 . Hence x and the quarter of its square are

equal.

2) x = 4 , the quarter of its square is (1/4) 42 = 4 . Hence x and the quarter of its square

are equal.

4. A car travels from A to B at a speed of 40 mph then returns, using the same road, from B

to A at a speed of 60 mph. What is the average speed for the round trip?

Solution

The average speed is given by.

total distance / total time

If x is the distance from A to B, then the total distance is equal to 2x (away and return).

The total T time is equal to time t1 = x / 40 from A to B (away) plus t2 = x / 60 from B to A

(return). Hence

T = x / 40 + x / 60 = 100 x / 2400 = x / 24

The average speed is given by

2x / (x/24) = 48 mph

5. Tom travels 60 miles per hour going to a neighboring city and 50 miles per hour coming

back using the same road. He drove a total of 5 hours away and back. What is the

distance from Tom's house to the city he visited?(round your answer to the nearest

mile).

Solution

Let x be the distance traveled to the city, then the time taken is given by

distance / speed = x / 60

and the time to return is given by

distance / speed = x / 50
 The total time to travel and return is 5 hours. Hence

x / 60 + x / 50 = 5

Solve for x

x = 1500 / 11 = 136 miles (rounded to the nearest mile)

6. At 11:00 a.m., John started driving along a highway at constant speed of 50 miles per

hour. A quarter of an hour later, Jimmy started driving along the same highway in the

same direction as John at the constant speed of 65 miles per hour. At what time will

Jimmy catch up with John?

Solution

Let t be the number of hours, from 11:00 am, when Jimmy catches up with John. The

time that Jimmy will have to drive to catch up with John is t - 1/4: he starts a quarter of

an hour late. When Jimmy catches up with John, they would have traveled the same

distance. Hence

50 t = 65 (t - 1/4)

Solve for t

50t = 65t - 65/4

t = 65/60 = 1.083 hours = 1hour and 5 minutes

Jim will catch up with John at

11:00 am + 1 hour , 5 minutes = 12:05 pm

7. Find an equation of the line containing (- 4,5) and perpendicular to the line 5x - 3y = 4.

Solution

First find the slope of the line 5x - 3y = 4

-3y = - 5x + 4

y = (5/3)x - 4/3

slope = 5/3

Let m be the slope of the line perpendicular to the line 5x - 3y = 4. Hence

m * (5/3) = - 1

m = -(3/5)

The equation of the line containing (- 4,5) and perpendicular to the line 5x - 3y = 4 is

given by
 y - 5 = -(3/5)(x - (-4))

y = -(3/5) x + 13/5

5y + 3x = 13

8. A rectangle field has an area of 300 square meters and a perimeter of 80 meters. What

are the length and width of the field?

Solution

Let L and W be the length and width of the rectangle. The area and the perimeter of the

rectangle may be written as follows

L * W = 300 , area

2(L + W) = 80 or L + W = 40 , perimeter

Solve equation L + W = 40 for W

W = 40 - L

Substitute W by 40 - L in the equation L * W = 300

L(40 - L) = 300

Write the above equation in standard form

L2 - 40L + 300 = 0

(L - 30)(L - 10) = 0

Solve for L and calculate W

L = 30 and W = 40 - L = 10

L = 10 and W = 40 - 10

Assuming that the length is larger than the width, the rectangle has a length L = 30

meters and a width W = 10 meters

9. Find the area of a trapezoid whose parallel sides are 12 and 23 centimeters

respectively.

Solution

The area A of a trapezoid is given by

A = (1/2) height *(base1 + base2)

The two bases are given as 12 and 23 cm, however the height is not given and

therefore there is not enough information to find the area of the trapezoid.
10. A rectangular garden in Mrs Dorothy's house has a length of 100 meters and a width of

50 meters. A square swimming pool is to be constructed inside the garden. Find the

length of one side of the swimming pool if the remaining area (not occupied by the pool)

is equal to one half the area of the rectangular garden.

Solution

let x be the side of the swimming pool. If the area not covered by the swimming pool is

half the rectangular garden, then the other half is covered by the swimming pool whose

area is x2. Hence

x2 = (1/2) 100*50 = 2500

Solve for x

x = 50 meters , side of the swimming pool

11. ABC is an equilateral triangle with side length equal to 50 cm. BH is perpendicular to

AC. MN is parallel to AC. Find the area of triangle BMN if the length of MN is equal to 12

cm.

Solution

Note that since ABC is an equilateral triangle and BH is perpendicular to AC, HC = 50/2

= 25 cm. Also since MN and HC are parallel, the two triangles BMN and BHC are similar

and the sizes of their sides are proportional. Hence

BN / BC = MN / HC = BM / BH = 12 / 25

The area of triangle BMN is given by

A = (1/2) BM * MN

The area of triangle BHC is given by

B = (1/2) BH * HC
 Note the ratio of the two areas

A / B = [ (1/2) BM * MN ] / [ (1/2) BH * HC ] = (BM/BH) * (MN/HC) = (12/25)*(12/25) =

(12/25)2

let us now find BH using Pythagora's theorem.

BH = sqrt(502 - 252) = 25 sqrt(3)

The area B of triangle BHC is given by.

B = (1/2) BH * HC = (1/2) 25 sqrt(3) 25 = (1/2) 252 sqrt(3)

We now use the ratio A / B = (12/25)2 to find A the area of triangle BMN.

A = (12/25)2 * B = (12/25)2 * (1/2) 252 sqrt(3) = 72 sqrt(3) cm2

12. The height h of water in a cylindrical container with radius r = 5 cm is equal to 10 cm.

Peter needs to measure the volume of a stone with a complicated shape and so he puts

the stone inside the container with water. The height of the water inside the container

rises to 13.2 cm. What is the volume of the stone in cubic cm?

Solution

We first find the volume of water without the stone.

V1 = 10 *(π * 52) = 250 π , where π = 3.14

The volume of water and stone is given by

V2 = 13.2 *(π * 52) = 330 π

The volume of the stone is given by

V2 - v1 = 330 π - 250 π = 80 π

= 251.1 cm3
13. In the figure below the square has all its vertices on the circle. The area of the square is

equal to 400 square cm. What is the area of the circular shape?

Solution

Note the size of the diagonal of the square is equal to the size of the diameter of the

circle. The side x of the square is such that

x2 = 400 , hence x = 20 cm

The diagonal D of the square is found using Pythagora's theorem

D2 = x2 + x2 = 800

The area A of the circle is given by

A = π (D/2)2 = π D2 / 4 = 200 π cm3

= 628 cm3

14. The numbers 2 , 3 , 5 and x have an average equal to 4. What is x?

Solution

The average of 2 , 3 , 5 and x is given by

(2 + 3 + 5 + x) / 4

and it is known and equal to 4. Hence

(2 + 3 + 5 + x) / 4 = 4

Solve the above equation for x to obtain

x=6

15. The numbers x , y , z and w have an average equal to 25. The average of x , y and z is

equal to 27. Find w.

Solution

The average of x , y , z and w is equal to 25. Hence

The average of x , y and z is equal to 27. Hence

(x + y + z ) / 3 = 27

The above gives

x + y + z = 3 × 27 = 81

substitute x + y + z by 81 in the equation (x + y + z + w) / 4 = 25 to obtain the equation

(81 + w) / 4 = 25

Solve the above for w

w = 19

16. Find x , y , z so that the numbers 41 , 46 , x , y , z have an arithmetic mean of 50 and a

mode of 45.

Solution

The arithmetic mean of 41 , 46 , x , y , z is equal to 50. Hence

(41 + 46 + x + y + z) / 5 = 50

Rearrange the equation to obtain

x + y + z = 163

The mode is the repeated value. We cannot have x = y = z = 45 because their sum will

not be equal to 163. The only possibility is that x = y = 45. Hence the above equation

may be written as

45 + 45 + z = 163

Solve the above for z

z = 73

17. A is a constant. Find A such that the equation 2x + 1 = 2A + 3(x + A) has a solution at x

= 2.

Solution

Substitute x by 2 in the given equation

2(2)+ 1 = 2A + 3(2 + A)
 Solve for A

A=-1/5

18. 1 liter is equal to 1 cubic decimeter and 1 liter of water weighs 1 kilogram. What is the

weight of water contained in a cylindrical container with radius equal to 50 centimeters

and height equal to 1 meter?

Solution

dm is the symbol of a decimeter and is equal to 10 cm. We convert all given units in dm.

radius: r = 50 cm = 5 dm

height : h = 1 m = 10 dm

The volume of water in the cylindrical container is given by:

πr2 h = 3.14 (5 md) 2 × 10 dm = 785 dm3

1 dm3 weights 1 kg. Hence the total weight of water in the container is equal to

785 dm3 × 1 kg / dm3 = 785 Kg

19. In the figure below triangle ABC is an isosceles right triangle. AM is perpendicular to BC

and MN is perpendicular to AC. Find the ratio of the area of triangle MNC to the area of

triangle ABC.

Solution

ABC is isosceles; hence

AB = AC

ABM and ACM have equal sides and one common side and equal angles are therefore

congruent triangles. Hence the area of triangle AMC is half the area of ABC.

In triangle MAC angles MAC and MCA are both equal to 45° hence triangle MAC is an
 isosceles right triangle and therefore trianles MAN and MCN are congruent (similar

proof to above). Therefore area of triangle MNC is half the area of triangle AMC. Hence

the ratio of the area of triangle MNC to the area of triangle ABC is equal to 1 / 4.

20. Pump A can fill a tank of water in 4 hours. Pump B can fill the same tank in 6 hours.

Both pumps are started at 8:00 a.m. to fill the same empty tank. An hour later, pump B

breaks down and took one hour to repair and was restarted again. When will the tank be

full? (round your answer to the nearest minute).

Solution

Pump A can fill 1 tank in 4 hours; hence the rate of pump A is

1 / 4 (tank / hour)

Pump B can fill 1 tank in 6 hours; hence the rate of pump B is

1 / 6 (tank / hour)

Let t be the number of hours that takes pump A to fill the tank. Hence during the t hours

pump A fills

t × (1 / 4) of the tank

Pump B was stopped for one hour and hence will pump water into the tank for t -1

hours; hence during t - 1 pump B fills

(t - 1) × (1 / 6) of the tank

The two pumps work together to fill 1 tank; hence

t × (1 / 4) + (t - 1) × (1 / 6) = 1

Multiply all terms in the above equation by 24 and simplify

24 × t × (1 / 4) + 24 × (t - 1) × (1 / 6) = 24 × 1

6 t + 4(t - 1) = 24

Solve for t

10 t = 28

t = 2.8 hours = 2 hours + 0.8 × 60 minutes = 2 hours 48 minutes

The tank is full at

8 a.m + 2 hours 48 minutes = 10:48 a.m.

21. Are the lines with equations 2x + y = 2 and x - 2y = 0 parallel, perpendicular or neither?

Solution
 Write each of the given equations in the form y = m x + b and identify the slope m.

2x + y = 2 gives y = - 2 x + 2 , slope m1 = - 2

x - 2y = 0 gives y = x / 2 , slope m 2= 1 / 2

m1 and m2 are not equal and therefore the lines are not parallel. The product of the two

slopes is

m1 × m2 = - 2 (1 / 2) = -1

The two lines are perpendicular

22. What are the dimensions of the square that has the perimeter and the area equal in

value?

Solution

Let x be the side of the square. The perimeter 4x and the area x 2 are equal; hence

4x=x2

Solve the above equation

4x-x2=0

x (4 - x) = 0

Two solution

x = 0 for which the square does not exist

x = 4 which is a square of side 4 units.

23. Find the dimensions of the rectangle that has a length 3 meters more that its width and

a perimeter equal in value to its area?

Solution

Let L be the length and W be the width. "a length 3 meters more that its width" is written

as

L=W+3

The perimeter of the rectangle is given by

2L+2W

The are of the rectangle is given by

LW

"perimeter equal in value to its area" is written as

2L+2W=LW
 Substitute L by 3 + W in the above equation to obtain

2 (W + 3)+ 2 W = (3+ W) W

Expand and write the equation in standard form

W2-W-6=0

Solve the above quadratic equation to obtain

W = 3 and W = - 2

The width of a rectangle is positive hence W = 3 and

L=W+3=6

24. Find the circumference of a circular disk whose area is 100π square centimeters.

Solution

Area A = 100π; hence

A = π R 2 = 100π , where R is the radius of the disk.

Hence the equation

π R 2 = 100π

Solve for R.

R 2 = 100 give R = 10 cm

The circumference C is given by .

C= 2 π R = 20 π cm

25. The semicircle of area 50 π centimeters is inscribed inside a rectangle. The diameter of

the semicircle coincides with the length of the rectangle. Find the area of the rectangle.

Solution

If R is the radius of a semicircle; its area is known and is given by the formula

(1/2)πR 2 = 50 π

Solve the above equation for R

R 2 = 100 gives R = 10

The length L of the rectangle is equal to the diameter; hence

L = 2 R = 20 cm

The semicircle is inscribed inside the rectangle and therefore it radius is equal to width

W of the rectangle; hence

W = R = 10 cm
 The area of the rectangle is equal to

L × W = 20 × 10 = 200 cm 2

26. A triangle has an area of 200 cm2. Two sides of this triangle measure 26 and 40 cm

respectively. Find the exact value of the third side.

Solution

The area A of a triangle given its two sides a and b making an angle α is given by

A = (1/2) a b sin(α)

Use the cosine rule to find cos(α) as

cos (α) = (a 2 + b 2 - c 2) / 2 a b , c is the third side of the triangle.

Use the formula sin(α) = √(1- cos 2 (α)) to rewrite the formula for the area as

A = (1/2) a b sin(α) = (1/2) a b √(1- ((a 2 + b 2 - c 2) / 2 a b) 2)

Simplify to obtain

A = (1 / 4) √(4 a 2 b 2 - (a 2 + b 2 - c 2) 2)

Solve for c to obtain two solutions

c = √ [ a 2 + b 2 ± √(4 a 2 b 2 - 16 A 2) ]

In this problem a = 26, b = 40 and A = 200. Substitute and solve to find two solutions

c1 = √ (356) = 2 √ (89) ; c2 = √ (4196) = 2 √ (1049)

Answers to the Above Questions

1. 0 , 1

2. 0 , 2
 3. 0 , 4

4. 48 miles per hour

5. 136 miles

6. 12:05 a.m.

7. 5y + 3x = 13

8. length = 30 meters , width = 10 meters

9. not enough information to solve the problem.

10. 50 meters

11. 72 √3 square centimeters.

12. 80 π cubic centimeters

13. 200 π square centimeters

14. x = 6

15. w = 19

16. x = 45 , y = 45 and z = 73

17. A = - 1/5

18. 785 kg

19. 1:4

20. 10:48 a.m.

21. perpendicular

22. square with side length = 4 units

23. length = 6 units and width = 3 units

24. 20π cm

25. 200 cm 2

26. two solutions: 2 √ (89) and 2 √ (1049)

More References and Links

Middle School Math (Grades 6, 7, 8, 9) - Free Questions and Problems With Answers

High School Math (Grades 10, 11 and 12) - Free Questions and Problems With Answers
Primary Math (Grades 4 and 5) with Free Questions and Problems With Answers

Home Page