Question

Ana has two plants. From Monday to Tuesday, plant A grew 5 cm more than plant B. If the sum of the length of the two plants on Tuesday is 41 cm, how long is each plant on Tuesday?

Answer 1

Write a system of equations using A and B as the variables

The first equation is the sum of the lengths of the plants

`A+B=41`

The second equation is the relation of growth that plant A grew 5cm more than plant B

`A=B+5`

Insert the second equation into the first one to solve for B

`\begin{gathered} A+B=41 \\ (B+5)+B=41 \end{gathered}`

Solve the equation for B

`\begin{gathered} 2B+5=41 \\ 2B=41-5 \\ 2B=36 \\ B=(36)/(2) \\ B=18 \end{gathered}`

Use the value of B in the second equation to find the value of A

`\begin{gathered} A=B+5 \\ A=18+5 \\ A=23 \end{gathered}`

Plant A is 23 cm long on Tuesday and plant B is 18 cm long on Tuesday.