Final answer:
Jerry Rice has 22,895 yards. The solution involves setting up algebraic equations based on the given yardage differences and combining them to find a single variable representing Larry Fitzgerald's yardage, then using it to find Jerry Rice's total yardage.
Step-by-step explanation:
To solve this problem, we need to establish relationships between the catch yards of the three football players using algebra. Let's use the following symbols to represent their catch yards:
- L for Larry Fitzgerald's yards
- J for Jerry Rice's yards
- R for Randy Moss's yards
According to the problem, we have the two following relationships:
- Jerry Rice has 5,476 more yd than Larry Fitzgerald, which can be expressed as J = L + 5,476.
- Randy Moss has 2,127 less yards than Larry Fitzgerald, which can be stated as R = L - 2,127.
The combined yardage of the three players equals 55,606 yards, leading to the equation:
L + J + R = 55,606
Now, we substitute J and R with the expressions in terms of L from our first two equations:
L + (L + 5,476) + (L - 2,127) = 55,606
Combining like terms gives us:
3L + 3,349 = 55,606
Now, let's solve for L:
3L = 55,606 - 3,349
3L = 52,257
L = 17,419
Now that we have Fitzgerald's yardage, we can determine Jerry Rice's yardage:
J = 17,419 + 5,476
J = 22,895 yards
Therefore, Jerry Rice has 22,895 yards.