Question

James and Lin got married and got new jobs. Lin earns $3200 more per year than James. Together they earn $82,060. How much does each of them earn per year?

Answer 1

Let x represent the amount earned by James per year. We were told that Lin earns $3200 more per year than James. This means that the amount earned by Lin per year is

x + 3200

Together they earn $82,060. This means that

x + 3200 + x = 82060

3200 + 2x = 82060

2x = 82060 - 3200 = 78860

x = 78860/2

x = 39430

James earns $39430 per year

Lin earns 39430 + 3200 = $42630 per year