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Integer Word Problems

Integer word problems are word problems that involves integers and how they are related according to the question. Think carefully when you assign the variables to the unknowns.

Things to watch out for: be careful when translating the sentences into equations.

For example:
“John has 5 fewer sweets than twice the number that Alice has”
        is translated as j = 2a –5
        and not j = 5 – 2a

Although, the number 5 is mentioned first in the sentence that does not mean that it would come first in the equation. Read the sentence carefully.

In these lessons, we will cover some examples of integer word problems with two unknowns. Refer to the following related topics for other types of integer word problems.

Related Topics:
Integer word problems with more than two unknowns

Consecutive integer problems.

More Alegebra Word Problems

Integer Problems With Two Unknowns

Example 1:

A team won 3 times as many matches as it lost. If it won 15 matches, how many games did it lose?


Step 1: Sentence: A team won 3 times as many matches as it lost.

Assign variables:

Let x =   matches lost
  3x =   matches won

Sentence: It won 15 matches
3x = 15

Step 2: Solve the equation

Isolate variable x

Answer: The team lost 5 games.


Example 2:

Initially, there were the same number of blue marbles and red marbles in a bag.

John took out 5 blue marbles and then there were twice as many red marbles as blue marbles in the bag. How many red marbles are there in the bag?


Step 1: Assign variables:

Let x = red marbles

Sentence: Initially, blue marbles = red marbles = x, then John took out 5 blue marbles.
x – 5 = blue marbles

Sentence: twice as many red marbles as blue marbles in the bag
x = 2(x –5)

Step 2: Solve the equation

x = 2(x –5)

Remove the brackets
x = 2x – 10

Isolate variable x
= 10

Answer: There are 10 red marbles in the bag.


The following videos give more examples of integer word problems.

One number is four more than a second number. If their sum is 38, find the two numbers.



Two numbers add up to 51. Find the two numbers if they are 5 units apart.

An integer is one less than twice that of another. If their sum is 20, find the integers.


The sume of two numbers is 17. Three times one number is one more than twice the other.

The sum of two numbers is 30. Twice the smaller number is half the larger number. Find the numbers.

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