The sum of two numbers is 47 . The smaller number is 7 less than the larger number. What are the numbers?

Question

The sum of two numbers is
47
. The smaller number is
7
less than the larger number. What are the numbers?

Answer 1

let's call the smaller number x, and the larger number y.

 

We know the smaller number is 7 less than the larger number: x + 7 = y  ---> equation (1)

We know that the sum of two numbers is 47 : x+ y = 47 --> equation (2)

 

We can plug (1) into (2):

x + y = 47 

x + (x+7) =47

2x + 7 = 47

2x = 47 -7 =40

x = 40/2 = 20

 

y = x + 7 = 20 + 7 = 27

 

 

Let's check our answers by adding x and y : 20 + 27= 47 

Answer 2

You have to read the question carefully and understand what information it is telling you about the unknown expression.

 

Let x be the smaller number and y be the larger number

 

The sum of two numbers is 47, sum means addition, so we'll write that as

 

x+y=47

 

 

The smaller number is 7 less than the larger number

x=y-7 plug x value into the previous equation

 

y-7+y=47 solve for y by subtracting 7

2y=54      divide both sides by 2

y=27        answer for the larger number 

 

plug 27 into original equation and solve for x

 

x+ 27=47    Solve for x by subtracting 27

x=20

 

Check your work by plug x and y values into the original equation

 

20+27=47