Calculating Total Population Of Three Cities: A Math Problem

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Hey guys! Ever found yourself scratching your head over a word problem that seems a bit tricky? Well, let's break down a classic math question together, step by step. We're going to tackle a population problem involving three cities: A, B, and C. This kind of problem is super common, and once you understand the logic, you'll be able to solve similar questions with ease. So, grab your thinking caps, and let's get started!

Understanding the Problem: City Populations

The key to cracking any word problem is first to understand what it's asking. In our case, we need to figure out the total population of three cities. We're given some information, but it's not as straightforward as just adding three numbers. We have the population of city A directly, but for cities B and C, we have the population relative to city A. So, before we can calculate the total, we need to find out the individual populations of cities B and C.

Breaking Down the Given Information

Let's list out what we know:

  • City A has a population of 131,212 residents.
  • City B has 2,123 more residents than City A.
  • City C has 4,210 more residents than City A.

See? It's like a little puzzle! We have one piece of the puzzle (city A's population) and clues to find the other pieces (cities B and C's populations). The question we're trying to answer is: what's the grand total of all the residents in these three cities combined?

Step-by-Step Solution: Finding Individual Populations

Now that we understand the problem, let's dive into the solution. The first step is to calculate the populations of cities B and C. We'll use the information given to us, which tells us how much larger their populations are compared to city A. Remember, the details are our best friends in these situations!

Calculating the Population of City B

We know that City B has 2,123 more residents than City A. To find City B's population, we simply add this number to City A's population. This is where your basic addition skills come into play. Don't be afraid to use a calculator or write it out longhand if that helps you avoid mistakes. It's all about accuracy!

So, the calculation looks like this:

City B Population = City A Population + 2,123

City B Population = 131,212 + 2,123 = 133,335 residents

There we have it! City B has 133,335 residents. Now we have two pieces of our population puzzle.

Calculating the Population of City C

Next up, we need to find the population of City C. The problem tells us that City C has 4,210 more residents than City A. Just like we did with City B, we'll add this number to City A's population to find City C's population. This is the same process as before, just with a different number.

The calculation for City C's population is:

City C Population = City A Population + 4,210

City C Population = 131,212 + 4,210 = 135,422 residents

Awesome! We've found that City C has 135,422 residents. Now we have all three individual populations. We're getting closer to solving the big question.

Calculating the Total Population: Summing It Up

Alright, we've done the groundwork. We know the population of each city individually: City A, City B, and City C. Now comes the exciting part – calculating the total population of all three cities combined. This is where we put everything together. We're like math detectives, piecing together the clues to solve the mystery!

Adding the Populations Together

To find the total population, we need to add the populations of each city together. This is a straightforward addition problem, but it's important to be careful and make sure you're adding the correct numbers. Double-checking your work is always a good idea, especially in math problems.

The formula for the total population is:

Total Population = City A Population + City B Population + City C Population

Now, let's plug in the numbers we calculated earlier:

Total Population = 131,212 + 133,335 + 135,422

Let's do the addition:

Total Population = 399,969 residents

Boom! We've done it! The total population of the three cities is 399,969 residents. That's a lot of people!

Final Answer and Conclusion

So, after all our calculations and careful steps, we've arrived at the final answer. The total population of cities A, B, and C is 399,969 residents. It's pretty cool how we can break down a complex problem into smaller, manageable steps, isn't it?

Recapping the Steps

Let's quickly recap what we did to solve this problem:

  1. We understood the problem and identified what we needed to find.
  2. We broke down the given information to understand the relationships between the cities' populations.
  3. We calculated the individual populations of cities B and C using the information provided.
  4. We added the populations of all three cities together to find the total population.
  5. We arrived at the final answer: 399,969 residents.

Why This Matters

These types of problems might seem just like math exercises, but they actually reflect real-world scenarios. Understanding how to calculate populations and work with relative numbers is useful in many areas, from urban planning to resource management. Plus, mastering these skills builds your problem-solving abilities, which are valuable in all aspects of life. So, keep practicing, and you'll become a math whiz in no time!

Practice Makes Perfect: Try Similar Problems

Now that you've conquered this population problem, why not try some similar ones? The more you practice, the more confident you'll become. You can change the numbers, add more cities, or even introduce other factors like population growth rates to make it even more challenging. The possibilities are endless!

Tips for Solving Word Problems

Here are a few extra tips to help you tackle any word problem:

  • Read carefully: Make sure you understand what the problem is asking.
  • Highlight key information: Identify the important numbers and relationships.
  • Break it down: Divide the problem into smaller, manageable steps.
  • Show your work: This helps you keep track of your calculations and makes it easier to find mistakes.
  • Check your answer: Does your answer make sense in the context of the problem?

With these tips and a little practice, you'll be solving math problems like a pro!

So there you have it, guys! We've successfully calculated the total population of three cities. Remember, math might seem daunting at times, but by breaking problems down into smaller steps and practicing regularly, you can conquer any challenge. Keep up the great work, and happy calculating!