The larger of two numbers is 2 more than 4 times the other. Their sum is 33. Find the two numbers.

Answer 1

When approaching words problems, you first need to define what you're searching for using variables. We know we are looking for 2 different numbers but want to use only one variable. Let say our smaller number is "x". Now we know our larger is 2 more than 4 times our smaller number. In other words, if you multiply "x" by 4 and add two, you get the larger number. This is what we have now:

x = smaller number

4*x + 2 = larger number

Now when we add these two things up, we get 33 (sum means addition). This is what it all looks like now :

x + 4x + 2 = 33.

And now you just solve for x!