Question

A total of 391 tickets were sold for the school play. They were either adult tickets or student tickets. There were 59 fewer student tickets sold than adult tickets. How many adult tickets were sold?

Answer 1

There are 225 adult tickets.

Explanation:

Let the number of adult tickets but represented by A while the number of student tickets be represented by S.

We are told the total is 391, so A+S=391.

There are 59 fewer student tickets (S) sold than adult tickets (T).

So there are 59 more adult tickets which means, A=59+S.

We are going to solve the system:

A+S=391

A=59+S

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We are going to input the second equation into the first:

A+S=391 with A=59+S

(59+S)+S=391

59+S+S=391

59+2S=391

Subtract 59 on both sides:

2S=391-59

2S=332

Divide both sides by 2:

S=332/2

S=166

So A=59+S given S=166 means A=59+166=225.

There are 225 adult tickets while there is 166 student tickets.

Answer 2

Let's say the adult tickets would be X and the student tickets would be

X - 59.

Let's add them up. X + X - 59 = 391

2x = 450

x = 225

If there are 225 student tickets, we know that there are 63 fewer adult tickets so we take 225 and subtract 59 and we will get an answer of 166.

225 adult tickets were sold.