Out the Steps to a Solution

A math word problem presents challenges in understanding, organization, and launching the mathematical problem to be solved. To illustrate all these steps (and more), consider a problem involving two friends and their walking adventure. They both leave the same place at the same time one walks north and the other walks east. One walks faster than the other. And, for some reason known only to them, they can determine how far apart they are after a period of time. 

The Problem Shelly and Shirley leave their dorm at 8 a.m. and start walking in different directions. Shelly starts walking due north, and Shirley walks due east. Shirley takes her time to smell the flowers and Shelly walks at a pretty steady pace. So, at noon, when they stop walking, Shelly has gone 1 mile less than twice as far as Shirley. At noon, they are 17 miles apart. How far did Shelly walk  

At the time a man and woman married, the man determined that his wife s age was % of his age. After 12 years of marriage, he found that his 

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