Are there some general strategies for dealing with word problems?
Yes — the first thing you usually want to do is figure out what is being asked. A sentence with a question is usually a big hint, but you don’t always have one of those. Once you’ve figured that out, there are a few other things that can help you. One is to draw a picture. Sometimes visualizing the problem can help. If you do this, label the parts of the picture with any appropriate variables you may encounter along the way. Write down what all the variables mean and what their units are….this helps you keep track of what you’re doing. Next you need to write down whatever equtions are necessary to get from the information you have been given to the information requested in the problem. Sometimes one equation will lead you to another that you need to solve in order to do the work. This is OK. If you’re having problems finding equations that will get you to where you want to be, it can be helpful to write down some equations you know work on the information given. While not directly h
