How many trains?

A monorail ride at Six Flags has 5 cars in each train, and each car can hold 4 passengers. In one hour, 1000 people can ride the monorail.

a. Write a verbal model describing how to determine how many trains run in one hour.
b. Use the model to find the number that run in one hour.
c. Check your answer.

---

let x = the number of trains that run in one hour

There are 5 cars in each train, and each car holds 4 passengers.
Then, 5(4)(x) would be the number of people going in one hour, which you are told is 1000.

a.)  5(4)(x) = 1000 is the verbal model  {5 cars per train, 4 passengers per car equals total people in 1 hour}

b.)  20x = 1000 {multiplied 5 by 4}
x = 50 trains run in one hour  {divided each side by 20}

c.)  Substitute 50 back in for x, and it should make a true statement.
5(4)(50) = 1000  {substituted 50 in for x}
1000 = 1000 {answer checks}

Ask the House