Hey, all. I know fractions is a big problem for the GED. Here’s another problem: word problems! The GED is full of ‘em. That’s cuz the GED wants to know if you can solve problems you might run across in life. I know word problems don’t always seem like real life, but they’re tryin’ to reflect everyday problems, you know. Stuff that might happen to you.
continue reading "GED Math: More Fractions… in Real Life Problems."

Hey, yo. Here’s a comment Jen sent over:

Hi Curtis,

I need some help with percent and ratio word problems. Unfortunately your previous explanations regarding word problems have been too complicated. Perhaps you could give more information on the basics, the formulas? I know I am not completely understanding these formulas. My knowledge in math is only the basic concepts, and I do not understand algebra yet.

While percents seem simple enough; I become lost when I try to solve word problems with them. I have been using the triangle method to work with percent problems. [The method shown in the GED book.]

1- Multiply when the problem gives you the whole and the percent.

2- Divide when the problem gives you the part and the percent.

3- Divide when the problem gives you the whole and the part.

However, I am still finding word problems with percents and ratios very confusing, so I know I am definitely not understanding the formula. Ratios especially – the whole idea of cross multiplying sounds good, but when I do this I become lost as I attempt to finish the problem. I hope you can help me begin to make sense of these areas.

Thanks, Jen
continue reading "GED Math: Percent and Ratio Word Problems"

Yo, all you GED studiers. Zaher wrote me with a good math problem… ’bout distance and speed and time. Take a gander…

Hey Curtis ,

Thanks for your prompt reply man . This is one of the problems I struggled with involving distance :

- A man started walking at 2 mph, while a woman 2 miles behind him began walking at the same time at a rate of 4 mph, and in the same direction. Just then, the man’s dog left him and ran toward the woman. Upon reaching her, it instantly turned around and ran back toward thr man. And so, the dog continued to run back and forth between them, at a constant rate of 5 mph, until the woman finally overtook the man. How far did the dog run?

**** Go enjoy figuring it out and let me know how to do it man !

Zaher

In the GED test, on the page with all the formulas, you got one for distance:

distance = rate x time

So, what’s it mean?
continue reading "GED Math: Distance, Rate, and Time"

Hey guys! I got something about the GED math test that you gotta know. The test’s got mostly multiple choice questions, about 80%. But there’s 20% of the questions that ain’t multiple choice, in those questions, you got two different types. I’m gonna give you the low-down on one of em, the “coordinate plane grid.” You prolly got no idea what dat is. Well, here’s the 411.
continue reading "GED Math: Graphing Points and the Coordinate Plane Grid"

Hey, GED-studiers… I got some more important GED math to know. I’m talkin’ about probability… or as I say, odds. If you been to Vegas, you know a thing or two about probability… or maybe not, if you came away broke. Probability is how likely somethin’ is to happen.
continue reading "GED Math: Probability"

Yo! Here’s one thing the GED math test definitely asks you to do: turn a word problem into a formula. Sometimes the GED test doesn’t ask you to solve the problem. It just asks you to look at a bunch of formulas and figure out which one’s the right one. Well, at least you don’t hafta solve it. It’s pretty useful to know, too, cuz it helps you solve other word problems. It’s one of the steps you gotta take to figure things out.

So, let’s try walkin’ thru one.
continue reading "GED Math: Making a Problem into a Formula"

Hey, all. I know math is what keeps a lot of people from their GED, so keep those math questions comin’, so I can get you the answers! Here’s a good question about the metric system from a GED student:

I have a question about the metric system. How do I add Grams and kilograms and milligrams, and decagrams together?

Ex.
Add: 3.45g, 0.06kg, 0.67g, 690mg, 2dg?
continue reading "GED Measurements: Adding Different Metric Units"

Okay…I promised a GED word problem…word problems are a big part of the GED test, so it’s important to take a word problem and change it into a math problem before you can even do the math! So, why’s the GED test like this? Why’s it got so many word problems? Don’t they just make the GED test more confusing?
continue reading "GED Math Word Problem"

Jesse writes:I was wondering If u could let me know if I got these two questions correct I’m taking my ged next week & I want to feel comfortable with this math.
On a map 1/3 in=15 miles find the distance between two towns on a map that equals 3 2/3 in. How many miles r between the two? my answer was 75 miles am I correct?Next Question

The scale on a map indicates that 1/2 inch represents an actual distance of 120 miles, how far apart will two towns be if the actual distance between them is 180 miles my answer was 2 inches am I correct? if not could u explain how to set up these type of problems? thank you, Jesse.

Jesse,

Hey! Congrats on your GED test comin’ up. Y’know what these questions are? Ratios. I got a ratio post on my blog at: http://www.passged.com/student_blogs/curtis/2007/12/24/rice-ratios-gotta-love-that-ged-math/

There’ll prolly be a ratio question on the GED test. Here’s how it works. Take the first question. You got 1/3 inch, that equals 15 miles. Picture it in your head. Say this line is 1/3 inch: |—| It be 15 miles.

So, you got to find out how many miles in 3-2/3 inch. Well, first you gotta find out, how many 1/3-inches are in 3-2/3 inch. Get it?

Three 1/3-inch lengths are in 1 inch, like this:
|—|—|—|

So, in 3-2/3 inches, there’s 11 1/3-inch lengths:
|—|—|—|
|—|—|—|
|—|—|—|
|—|—|

Each 1/3-inch is 15 miles, right? So, we got 11 lengths of 15 miles… that’s 15 times 11, and that’s 165 miles! There ya go. Always makes it easier to understand to picture it in your head.

If you want to do it mathematically, what I did was set up a ratio:
1/3:15
3-2/3:x

Divide 3-2/3 by 1/3… then multiply 15 by the answer to get x.

Here’s the other one.
1/2 inch = 120 miles
x = 180 miles

Same deal here, right? You got a ratio.
1/2 inch:120 miles
x:180 miles

The relationship between 120 and 180 got to be the same as between 1/2 and the answer. So, what’s the relationship between 120 and 180? If you divide 180 by 120, 180/120 = 18/12 = 9/6 = 3/2 = 1-1/2

So, 180 is 1-1/2 times 120. Then x got to be 1-1/2 times 1/2. That’s 3/4. If it’s easier, you can do 1.5 x .5 = .75 …same thing. So, the answer’s 3/4 inch. Get it?

Hope this helps!

Curtis

For more information about the GED test and GED test preparation, visit The GED Academy at http://www.passged.com.

A small farm with a market value of 120,000 was assessed for 60% of its market value. The farm is taxed at 2% of the assessed value. Find the tax on the farm.
continue reading "GED Practice Question from Saru"