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39 votes
39 votes
On a team,8 girls and 5 boys devoted a total of 87 points. The difference between the number of points scored by the 8 girls and the number of points scored by the 5 boys is 57. Each girl scored the same number of points and each boy scored the same number of points. Find the number of points scored by each girl and boy

User Jemo Mgebrishvili
by
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1 Answer

18 votes
18 votes

Answer: The girls scored 9 points each and the boys scored 3 points each.

Explanation:

We will write a system of equations to help us solve. Let g equal the points a girl on the team scored and b equal the points a boy on the team scored.

Given:

8g + 5b = 87

8g - 5b = 57

We can solve this system of equations with elimination, by adding the two equations together.

Add both sides of the equation:

16g = 144

Divide both sides of the equation by 16:

g = 9 points

Now, we will substitute this back in and solve for the boys.

Given:

8g + 5b = 87

Substitute :

8(9) + 5b = 87

Multiply:

72 + 5b = 87

Subtract 72 from both sides of the equation:

5b = 15

Divide both sides of the equation by 5:

b = 3 points

User Stuckatzero
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3.0k points