The way you have this typed is very confusing. You need to find 2 equations to solve for these 2 unknowns. The first is the sum of the 2 unknowns set to equal 86: x + y = 86. The second is y - 2x = 5 (I am defining y to be the larger of the 2 numbers here). Solve the first equation for y: y = 86-x. Now sub that in for y in the second equation: 86-x-2x=5 and -3x = -81 and x = 27. 27 + y = 86, therefore, y must equal 59