trying to figure out bc my math teacher is strict and i don't wanna get something wrong

Question

Sven has 11 more than twice as many customers as when he started selling newspapers. he now has 73 costumers. how many did he gave when he started

Answer 1

Let's assume he started with "c" customers. He now has 11 more than twice that, which is "2 times the original c, plus 11 more", otherwise known as 2c + 11.

 

We're told that he now has 73, so 2c + 11 = 73.

 

Can you solve from there?

 

You can also start at 73 and go backwards by subtracting 11...

Answer 2

If we let C be the number of customers Sven started with, then the equation for this situation is:

 

2 x C (twice the number of customers he started with) + 11 = 73 (the number of customers he has now).

 

2C + 11 = 73

 

Subtract 11 from both sides.

 

2C = 62

 

Divide both sides of the equation by 2 to get C, the number of customers Sven started with.

 

Got it?