Help me please!

Question

Jim and Kirk are playing card game where they trade chips.At the beginning of the game, Jim has four times as many chips as Kirk does.After Kirk wins the game, Jim gives Kirk 18 of his chips, at which point they now have the same number of chips. How many did Kirk had to begin with?

Answer 1

J= the number of chips Jim has

K=The number of chips Kirk has

At the beginning J=4K

When Jim gives 18 chips to Kirk they would have equal number of chips:

J-18=K+18

J=K+36

Let's replace J in the first equation with K+36.

K+36=4K (subtract K from both sides)

36=3K

12=K

Kirk started with 12 chips.