what is the total of each state

Question

state a contain the largest state population of native americans. this population is three times the native american population of state b. if the total of these two population is 164 thousand find the native ammerican population of each state.

Answer 1

Use b as the population of state b.

 

Use 3b as the population of state a (since it is 3 times as much as b)

 

create an equation:  3b + b = 164000.

 

combine like terms:  4b = 164000

 

divide by 4:  b = 41,000

 

now to find the population of state a, just multiply by 3.

 

 

Hope this helped

Answer 2

Let P_a and P_b = the population of Native Americans in states A and B.

• State A (Pa) is three times the Native American population of state b:  P_a = 3P_b
• The total of these two population is 164 thousand:  P_a + P_b = 164,000

 

Since P_a = 3 P_b, substitute 3P_b in place of Pa in the second equation:

 

P_a + P_b = 164,000

3P_b + P_b = 164,000

4P_b = 164,000

 

Solve for P_b.  Once you have P_b, P_a = 3*P_b.