Word problem.

Question

Friends and leave it to beaver are two of the most popular television shows of all time. The number of episodes of each show are consecutive even integers whose sum is 470. If there are more episodes of Friends, how many episodes of each were there?

Answer 1

Let x = The number of Leave It to Beaver episodes. The number of Friends episodes would then be x+2. Set up this equation: x+(x+2)=470. Simplify the left side: 2x+2=470. Subtract 2 from both sides: 2x=468. Divide both sides by 2: x=234. Therefore the number of Friends episodes is 236 and Leave it to Beaver is 234.

Answer 2

Sum of two consecutive even numbers is always the double of the odd number between them.

Then, double of the odd number in our case is given, 470.

Then the odd ,number is 470 / 2 = 235.

Then, as number of episodes of Friends is greater of the two, it is 235 + 1 = 236.

So, the number of Leave It to Beaver episodes 235 - 1 = 234.