Question

A textbook store sold a combined total of 383 history and sociology textbooks in a week. The number of sociology textbooks sold was 87 less than the number of history textbooks sold. How many textbooks of each type were sold?

Answer 1

The store sold 235 history textbooks and 148 sociology textbooks. This was determined by solving a system of linear equations that accounted for the total sales and the difference in sales between each type of textbook.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question involves solving a linear system of equations to determine the number of history and sociology textbooks sold. We'll let x represent the number of history textbooks sold and y represent the number of sociology textbooks sold. The problem gives us two equations:

• x + y = 383 (the total number of textbooks sold)
• y = x - 87 (the difference in the number of textbooks sold)

Using substitution or elimination, we solve these equations simultaneously. Replacing y in the first equation with x - 87 from the second equation, we get:

x + (x - 87) = 383
2x - 87 = 383
2x = 383 + 87
2x = 470
x = 235

Using the value of x, we find y:

y = 235 - 87
y = 148

Therefore, the store sold 235 history textbooks and 148 sociology textbooks.