Question

Jabari is thinking of three numbers. The

greatest number is 3 times than the middle
number. The smallest number is 5 less the
middle number. The sum of the three
numbers is 35. Find the numbers

Answer 1

3, 8 and 24.

Explanation:

Let's write some equations that satisfy this problem (x = smallest, y = middle, z = largest):

z = 3y

x + y + z = 35

x = y - 5

We can use substitution to solve this problem! I will take x + y + z = 35, replace x with y - 5 (since we know x = y - 5) and replace z with 3y (since we know z = 3y).

This leaves us with:

(y - 5) + y + (3y) = 35

y - 5 + y + 3y = 35

5y - 5 = 35

5y = 40

y = 8

Since we know y (the middle number) is 8, we can now find the other numbers:

Largest is 3 times the middle, so 8 * 3 = 24.

Smallest is 5 less than the middle, so 8 - 5 = 3.

The 3 numbers are therefore 3, 8 and 24.