Question

A positive number is 5 times another number. If we add 2 to both the numbers, then one of them becomes 4 times the other.

Find the smaller number.

Answer 1

...let x and y be the numbers

"x" is the largest number and "y" is the smallest number.

A positive number is 5 times another number:

x = 5y

If we add 2 to both numbers, then one of them becomes 4 times the other:

x + 2 = 4(y + 2)

x+2=4y+8

we have a system:

x=5y

x+2 = 4y+8

we replace x by 5y: 5y+2=4y+8

5y-4y=8-2

y=6

smallest number: 6

Explanation: