57.1k views
4 votes
The sum of two numbers is "-46" . One number is 13 more than the other one. Find the numbers.

User Glenis
by
4.9k points

1 Answer

7 votes

the best way to solve this is using a system. let's pretend the two numbers we have are notated using the variables x and y.

our first equation is this:

x + y = -46. the sum of the two numbers x and y is -46.

our first equation is this:

x + 13 = y. here, the variable doesn't really matter. so, what this says is that y is 13 greater than x.

now, you know how to represent y in terms of x. plug the second equation into the first and you get this:

x + ( x + 13) = -46.

solve this:

2x + 13 = -46

2x = -59

x = -29.5

now, we know what x equals. using the second equation we created,

x + 13 = y, we can figure out what y equals. so, let's plug x in.

-29.5 + 13 = y

y = -16.5

you've got x and y now! i hope i helped you.

xoxo

User Sridhar Iyer
by
4.7k points