Question

1) Walter opened a bank account with $0. He deposits $200 in the bank

each month. Write an expression that represents how much money
Walter has deposited after some number of months (m). Which
student below is correct? What mistake do the other students make?
Student A
200*10
Student B
2200
Student C
200m
Student D
m = 200

Answer 1

Student C is correct.

Students A and B do not account for the variable in the equation. Student A assumes that it has already been 10 months when it has not been stated in the question. Student B has come to the conclusion that it has been 11 months. Neither have an equation to show for it. Student D is incorrect because the variable "m" equals the number of months, and the number of months would not equal the amount of money Walter would be receiving in total. Student C is correct because the variable "m", or months, is being multiplied by 200, or the amount of money.

For example, if 5 months were to pass, then you would receive 1000 dollars, because 5×200 is 1000. This would hold up, as in the original problem, you receive 200 dollars per month. another example is if you replace "m" with 0, then it will show that in 0 months, you will have 0 dollars, and it is stated at the beginning of the problem that Walter's bank account starts at $0.