Final answer:
The student needs to solve a system of two equations to find the points scored by the Patriots. By adding and subtracting the equations representing the sum and the difference of the teams' scores, we conclude that the Patriots scored 32 points.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is asking to find the number of points the Patriots scored based on the sum of the points and the difference in points between the two teams. Let's denote the Patriots' score as P and the Giants' score as G. According to the problem, P + G = 44 (the sum of their scores was 44) and P - G = 20 (the difference between their scores was 20).
To find the Patriots' score, we can solve this system of equations with two variables. Adding the two equations together (P + G) + (P - G) cancels out G, leading to 2P = 64. We then divide both sides of the equation by 2 to find P: P = 32. So, the Patriots scored 32 points in the game.