please help work problem

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jess1979

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Sep 13, 2011
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The difference between two numbers is 55. Four times the smaller number plus five times the larger number is 176. what are the numbers?
Please help. I am taking alebra for the 2nd time and really do not understand most of it. I don't even know where to begin with this problem?

Anything is appreciated....Thanks
 
jess1979 said:
The difference between two numbers is 55. Four times the smaller number plus five times the larger number is 176. what are the numbers?
Please help. I am taking alebra for the 2nd time and really do not understand most of it. I don't even know where to begin with this problem?

Anything is appreciated....Thanks
Click to expand...

Start with naming things you need to find.

You need to find two numbers.

Let

the larger number = L

The smaller number = S

then you know - The difference between two numbers is 55

that can be translated to:

L - S = 55 .............................................................................(1)

Now what......
 
So far I got 4s+5l=176 and l-s=55...I'm just don't sure what to do from here.
 
Hi,

so now you have 2 equations and two unknowns so you can solve for each variable. Did you learn substitution or elimination in class?

1) 4s+5l=176
2) l-s=55

so what you can do is rearrange one equation to solve for one of your variables so lets take the second equation
l-s=55
l-s+s=55+s (add s to both sides)
l=55+s

then substitute that in to the first equation so you have
4s+5(55+s)=176

then all you have to do is solve for s (s= -11)

then sub that back in to one of your equations ( it doesn't matter which) l-(-11)=55 and solve for l. l= 44

to check if your answers are correct you can sub them back in to your original equations and see if they work


4s+5l=4(-11)+5(44)=176
l-s= 44-(-11)= 55




 
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