big number + small number = 10. big number - small number = 6.

Question

I am playing a game called prodigy and it is a math game. It gave me this EXTREMELY hard question and I needed some help finding it out. It read, "Larger Number + Smaller Number = 10" "Larger Number - Smaller Number = 6". What it's trying to tell me is that 2 numbers make 10, and when you subtract the smaller number from the larger the answer is 6. Please give me the answer.

 

Sincerely,

Cora Adames (8 yrs. 2nd grade)

Answer 1

Let's start with:  "Larger Number - Smaller Number = 6"

   Here are some values:

        Larger Number     Smaller Number      Larger - Smaller       Larger + Smaller

               7                          1                                          6                                            8

               8                           2                                         6                                           10

               9                           3                                         6                                            12

              10                          4                                         6                                                      

              11                          5   ....

 

Wait a minute !!  I already passed up the answer of "Larger Number + Smaller Number = 10"

Answer 2

b + s = 10

b - s = 6

 

For second grade I would say this is a reasoning problem. The number b must be half way between 6 and 10.

6 + s = b

            b + s = 10

 

So s = 2 and b = 8

Answer 3

You are in grade 2, and so you don't know how to solve simultaneous equations.  But, ok...  Let x be the large number; let y be the small number.

 

So: x + y = 10, so, solving for x, x = 10 - y

 

And, x - y = 6, so, substituting in, 10 - y - y = 6

 

-2y = -4

y = 2.  therefore, x = 8