Final answer:
To find the total number of skates, we can set up an equation using the given information. By solving the equation, we find that there were a total of 8y + 60 skates altogether.
Step-by-step explanation:
To solve this problem, we can set up an equation.
Let's represent the number of skaters who brought their own skates as x, and the number of skaters who rented skates as y. We know that there were 5 skaters who brought skates and 3 skaters who rented skates.
We are also given that there were 12 more skaters who brought their own skates than skaters who rented skates. So we can write the equation as: x = y + 12.
To find the total number of skates, we need to add the number of skaters who brought their own skates and the number of skaters who rented skates. So the total number of skates is 5x + 3y.
Therefore, the expression for the total number of skates is: 5(y + 12) + 3y. Simplifying this expression, we get: 8y + 60. So there were a total of 8y + 60 skates altogether.