Answer:
The two numbers are 4 and 13.
Explanation:
Pre-Solving
We are given that one number is 1 more than 3 times the other, and that the sum of the numbers is 17.
Solving
Define the Variable
Since both of the numbers are unknown, the first number will be assigned a variable; let's say it is x.
The other number, since it is 1 more than three times the other, will be 1+3x
Our variables are:
Number 1 = x
Number 2 = 1 + 3x
Equation
We know that the sum of the numbers is 17.
This means that number 1 + number 2 = 17.
We can plug the values that we found above to create this equation:
x + 1 + 3x = 17
Solution
We can combine like terms.
4x + 1 = 17
Subtract 1 from both sides
4x = 16
Divide both sides by 4.
x = 4
The first number is 4.
The second number is 1 + 3x, which if we substitute x for 4, it will be 1 + 3(4) = 1 + 12 = 13.