Quit hating 8th grade. Hate is no good. Spokane is a GREAT place. Enjoy it.
Write stuff down and ponder it. Do NOT try to figure out, memorize, or internalize some arbitrary structure. Find a way of thinking that works logically and consistently FOR YOU. You can worry about fitting it into some arbitrary structure AFTER you understand what you are doing.
Distance = Rate * Time
"Jamie ran 2 laps around a track in 99 seconds."
(Two Laps) = (Average Rate)*(99 seconds)
"he ran the first lap at 8.5 m/s"
(First Lap) = (8.5 m/s)*(Some Seconds)
"he ran the second lap at 8 m/s"
(Second Lap) = (8.0 m/s)*([99-Some] Seconds)
The ONLY thing close to tricky in there was noting that the first lap took SOME time and the second lap took the rest of the time.
Now we stop and think. Are there more clues? No. Okay, then we ahve to come up with something...OH, as I was typing, it dawned on me that these are LAPS! Generally, one lap is not longer or shorter than another lap. They are the same length!!! We can use that.
First Lap = Second LAP
(First Lap) = (8.5 m/s)*(Some Seconds)
(Second Lap) = (8.0 m/s)*([99-Some] Seconds)
So, ...
(8.5 m/s)*(Some Seconds) = (8.0 m/s)*([99-Some] Seconds)
Now THAT look slike somethign that can be solved.
(8.5)*(Some Seconds) = (8.0)*([99-Some] Seconds)
(8.5)*(Some) = (8.0)*([99-Some])
(8.5)*(Some) = (8.0)*99 - (8.0)*Some
(8.5)*(Some) + (8.0)*Some = (8.0)*99
16.5*Some = 792
Some = 792/16.5 = 48 = The seconds required for the fist lap.
99 - Some = 99 - 48 = 51 = The seconds required for the second lap
Notice that 51 > 48. This is good, since the second lap was at a lower rate.
Just think it through. Make it make sense in your head. Write stuff down and let the notation help you.