Help us with this algebra question?

[Jenny in Florida]

My son had the following question in his math lesson this morning:

 

The number of juniors in the jazz band at Central High School is 14 less than twice the number of sophomores. Let j represent the number of juniors in the jazz band. Write an expression for the number of sophomores in the band.

 

The answer given wasn't what we expected, and I can't explain to him what (if anything) he did wrong.

 

Thanks!

 

--Jenny

[Ali in OR]

Here's what I got:

 

j=# of juniors

 

Let s=# of sophomores

 

j=2s-14

Solve for s to get expression for number of sophomores:

j+14=2s

1/2(j+14)=s

[8filltheheart]

My son had the following question in his math lesson this morning:

 

The number of juniors in the jazz band at Central High School is 14 less than twice the number of sophomores. Let j represent the number of juniors in the jazz band. Write an expression for the number of sophomores in the band.

 

The answer given wasn't what we expected, and I can't explain to him what (if anything) he did wrong.

 

Thanks!

 

--Jenny

 

I would set it up

j=junior

s=soph

 

j=2s-14

j+14=2s

(j+14)/2=s

[Jenny in Florida]

Both of you came at this the same way we did. I'm going to go ahead and give him credit for a correct answer.

 

I just wanted to make sure I wasn't being spacey!

 

--Jenny

[nutmeg]

I agree with the answers given here, but I'm dying to know the answer given in your book?