Math Word Problems Trouble

jyotig:

Here's the question:
Daniel and William have some marbles. Daniel find that 2/5 of the number of marbles he has is 4/5 the number of marbles William has. William has 195 marbles. How many marbles does Daniel have?
I did 4/5*195 and got 156 as my final answer. Is it correct or is there an extra step?

No Algebra!

Hi JyotiG,
I have a couple of things to say to you first Jyotig.
Firstly i have been watching your posts and i am really impressed. I want you to join up properly. Please...
I am sure you have already read my post. '"Become a member, why would i want to? " If not, you can read it now (or soon).
Please join up.
Secondly 'No Algebra!' does not sound very polite. Perhaps if you wrote "Please no algebra because I am only 10 and i haven't learnt it yet". That would sound much better. Please is always a good word to use when you are asking for anything! You don't have to tell people that you are only 10 if you don't want to but it does explain better why you haven't done algebra.
Thirdly. Why don't you start learning algebra. You can answer a whole world of problems using algebra and you are very bright so it wouldn't be that difficult.
Fourth but not least: I really liked that you added what you had already tried. I wish everyone did that.
Now to your problem.
Daniel and William have some marbles. Daniel find that 2/5 of the number of marbles he has is 4/5 the number of marbles William has. William has 195 marbles. How many marbles does Daniel have?
I did 4/5*195 and got 156 as my final answer. Is it correct or is there an extra step?

In order to decide if there is an extra step you can check the answer that you already have. William has 195 marbles and Daniel has 156 marbles. that is your answer.
4/5 of Williams is 4/5*195 = 156 marbles
This is suppose to equal 2/5 of Daniel's. 2/5 of Daniels is 2/5 * 156 so that can't be right. You must be missing a step! (The * is a times sign because when you learn algebra you use x as a letter)

You want
4/5 of Willliams to equal 2/5 of Daniels
4/5 * 195 = 2/5 of daniels
156 = 2/5 of daniels
156 divided by 2/5 is Daniels
Dividing by 2/5 is the same as multiplying by 5/2
156 * 5/2 = Daniels
etc
when you finish you should check that you answer works with the original question.

Hi, Thanks for your reply. Sorry for the rudeness in my few posts.So, what I understood was that you're saying my first step is correct. Then, you said to divide 156 by 2/5 which equals 156/1 * 5/2. I got 390 marbles for Daniel. Is my math correct?

Thanks Again,
JyotiG

Guest:

Hi, Thanks for your reply. Sorry for the rudeness in my few posts.So, what I understood was that you're saying my first step is correct. Then, you said to divide 156 by 2/5 which equals 156/1 * 5/2. I got 390 marbles for Daniel. Is my math correct?

Thanks Again,
JyotiG

Well, have you put your answer into the original question to see if it works? Do you understand what I mean?
On a question like this you should be able to see for yourself it is correct.