Question

Your dad made 60 miniature sandwiches for a party. In the first hour, a certain number of sandwiches were eaten and then you ate 9 sandwiches. If there are 17 sandwiches left, how many sandwiches were eaten in the first hour?

Answer 1

Explanation:

60 sandwiches; x are eaten in the first hour. You ate 9 sandwiches after that. There are 17 sandwiches left.

60 - x - 9 = 17

-x = 17 - 60 + 9

-x = -34 you can't have a negative x so you have to change the sign on both sides.

x = 34 sandwiches were eaten in the first hour.

34 + 9 + 17 = 60 checks out.