A basketball team played 68 games. They won 30 more than they lost. How many games did they win? How many games did they lose?

Question

College Algebra

Answer 1

Hello, thank you for taking the time to post your question!

The key on this type of question is to find a way to relate the variables to one another based on the given information. On this one we have

W + L = 68   since they played 68 games in total

W = L + 30   since they won 30 more games than they lost

If you take the second equation and plug it back into the first that becomes

(L + 30) + L = 68

2L + 30 = 68

2L = 38

L = 19

Meaning that W = 19 + 30 = 49

So in total the team won 49 games and lost 19 games.

I hope that helps you get moving in a better direction on this type of question! Feel free to reach out if you have any additional questions beyond that :)

Answer 2

Here's another way to approach this problem.  Imagine that they lost the first 30 games.  That leaves 38 games--split these 38 into 19 wins & 19 losses...so the answer is 19 losses.

Answer 3

 

Let:

    x = number of games won

    y = number of games lost

 

Translate:

  "played 68 games"     means      x + y = 68    [eq1]

 

  "won 30 more than they lost"    means   

     x = 30      +            y             [eq2]

 

The math   (let's use elimination):

   x  +  y  = 68        [eq1 again]

   x   -  y  = 30           [from eq2]

-------------------    [elimination;  add equations]

  2x         =  98

   x          =  49

  -x   +  y =  -30        [from eq2]

--------------------   [elimination; add two equations]

           y  =  19

 

The team won 49 games and lost 19 games.

Answer 4

 

Let W = games won

Let L = games lost

 

W + L = 68 ... total games played

 

L + 30 = W ... they won 30 more than they lost

 

   using substitution

 

L + 30 + L = 68

 

2L = 68 - 30

 

2L = 38

 

L = 19

 

They lost 19 games

They won 30 more ... they wo 49 games