How do you translate the following into a equation and solve: "The sum of two numbers is eighteen. Two less than three times the smaller is equal to the larger."?

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How do you translate the following into a equation and solve: "The sum of two numbers is eighteen. Two less than three times the smaller is equal to the larger."?

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Answer 1 · 2017-03-09T03:43:21

The smaller number $x = 5$ $x=5$ , and the larger number $y = 13$ $y=13$

Explanation:

"The sum of two numbers is eighteen. Two less than three times the smaller is equal to the larger."

Let $x$ $x$ be the smaller number, and let $y$ $y$ be the larger number.

$x + y = 18$ $x+y=18$

$- 2 + 3 x = y$ $-2+3x=y$
$\Rightarrow y = 3 x - 2$ $implies color(blue)(y=3x-2)$

Use substitution to find the values of the two numbers.
$x + (3 x - 2) = 18$ $x+color(blue)((3x-2))=18$
$4 x - 2 = 18$ $4x-2=18$
$4 x = 20$ $4x=20$
$x = 5$ $color(red)(x=5)$

$y = 3 (5) - 2$ $y=3color(red)((5))-2$
$y = 13$ $y=13$

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How do you translate the following into a equation and solve: "The sum of two numbers is eighteen. Two less than three times the smaller is equal to the larger."?

1 Answer

Explanation:

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