the difference between 2 numbers is 366. if the bigger number is three times as big as the smaller number, find the sum of the two numbers?

Question

the difference between 2 numbers is 366. if the bigger number is three times as big as the smaller number, find the sum of the two numbers?

Answer 1

Let x be the bigger number and y the smaller number

x = 3y

x-y=366

but remember x= 3y

so 3y-y = 366

Therefore 2y = 366

Divide both sides by 2 to eliminate the 2 infront of y

We get y= 183

Therefore from the equation above x-y= 366

We replace y with 183

We get x-183=366

We add both sides with 183 to have only x on the left side

x= 549

so what is x+ y

549+183=732

The final answer is 732