Question

Teacher keeps 100 pencils in a jar. There are 16 more sharp pencils than dull pencil. How many pencils are dull and how many pencils are sharp

Answer 1

42 dull pencils

58 sharp pencils

Explanation:

Dull pencils = x

Sharp pencils = x + 16

Therefore, the total is:

x + (x + 16) = 100

Combine like terms:

2x + 16 = 100

Subtract 16 from both sides:

2x = 84

Divide both sides by 2:

x = 42

Recall that x represents dull pencils, so there are 42 dull pencils. Also recall that x + 16 represents sharp pencils, so there are 42 + 16 = 58 sharp pencils.