392,990 views
21 votes
21 votes
The sum of two numbers is 48. If one number is three more than twice the second number, which of the following is the

smaller number?

O 24
O 15
O 30
O 33

The sum of two numbers is 48. If one number is three more than twice the second number-example-1
User Vishnu Upadhyay
by
2.7k points

2 Answers

25 votes
25 votes
The answer is 15
Hope this helps
User Max Voisard
by
3.0k points
17 votes
17 votes

Answer:

15 (second option listed)

y = 15

x = 30

Explanation:

setting up this statement algebraically:

[where x = one of our numbers, y = other number]

x + y = 48

x = (2y + 3)

x = 2y + 3

plug x [now in terms of y] into the original equation

(2y + 3) + y = 48

3y + 3 = 48

- 3 - 3

3 y = 45

÷3 ÷3

y = 15

from this value, we can plug it back into the y-value of the original equation to find our x-value

x + y = 48

x + 15 = 48

- 15 - 15

x = 33

{to check: 33 is 2y + 3}

we know that y = 15 (smaller number) and that x = 33 (larger number)

so, the solution to the question of which is the smaller number is 15