Question

in a fish bowl there were 12 fish,some little, others big. if each of the big fish ate 2 little fish and then the little fish were all gone,how many fish are left in the bowl?

Answer 1

x+2x=12 as there are twice as many small fish as big fish

3x=12 divide by 3
x=4

There are 4 left in the bowl.

Answer 2

that suck for the little fish!

there were 12 fish so 12=(big fish)+(little fish)
x=big fish
y=small fish
so if the big fish each ate 2 little fish and all of the little fish (2x-y=0) were gone so 2x=y
there are 2 times as many little fish as big fish so
12=x+y or 12=x+2x
add like terms
12=3x
divdide both sides by 3
4=x
x=big fish

big fish =4
since the big fish ate all the little fish the answer is the origonal number of big fish which is and was 4