Question

Karen and Bill collect coins. Karen has x coins. Bill has 9 coins fewer than two times the number of coins Karen has. Write and simplify an expression for the total number of coins Karen and Bill have.

Answer 1

Answer: Let's call the total number of coins Karen and Bill have "t".

We can start by writing an expression for the number of coins Bill has:

2x - 9 = 9 + 2x

So the total number of coins Karen and Bill have is:

t = x + (2x - 9)

Simplifying the expression for t:

t = 3x - 9

So the total number of coins Karen and Bill have is equal to 3 times the number of coins Karen has minus 9.

Explanation: