ACT-Style: Multi-Step Arithmetic

ACT Math · Axiom Academy

EXAMPLE ACT-Style: Multi-Step Arithmetic A flat-fee-plus-rate word problem, worked in the exact order the arithmetic demands A moving company charges a 45 flat fee plus 25 per hour of labor. A customer books a job that takes 3.5 hours and has a 20 -off coupon . What is the total amount the customer pays? The words hide the order of operations — translate the scenario into one arithmetic chain, then apply PEMDAS exactly. Multiplication before addition: the labor cost ( ) must be computed before it's added to the flat fee — never add the fee to the rate first. Subtract last: the coupon discount applies to the completed subtotal, not to a piece of the calculation in the middle. Result: 45 + 25(3.5) - 20 = 112.50 , answer choice B . Every ACT-style word problem reduces to a single arithmetic expression — the skill is translating the sentence correctly, then following order of operations without skipping a beat.

This is the written version of the interactive lesson above. See the full ACT Math course.