Question

The sum of three numbers is 104. The first number is 10 less than the second. The third number is 4 times the second. What are the numbers?

Answer 1

The numbers are 9, 19 and 76.

Explanation:

Let's take the second number and make it a variable, like x. Now let's find all the other numbers in terms of x.

The first number in terms of x:

`x - 10`

The second number in terms of x:

`4x`

If we add them all up, these 3 numbers in terms of x must be equal to 104, so:

`x + (x - 10) + (4x) = 104 \\ x + x - 10 + 4x = 104 \\ 6x - 10 = 104 \\ 6x = 114 \\ x = 19`

Now that we know the second number, we can find the other numbers since we already figured out their values in terms of x:

`19 - 10 = 9`

`4 * 19 = 76`

The first number is 9, second number 19 and the third number 76.