Question

A total of 397 tickets were sold for the school play. They were either adult tickets or student tickets. There were 53 fewer student tickets sold than adult tickets. How many adult tickets were sold?

Answer 1

We know:
397 total
53 fewer student tickets than adult tickets

Variables: A for adult tickets, S for student tickets

Known Equations:
a + s = 397
a = s + 53

Solving:
2s + 53 = 397 so 2s = 344 so s = 172

s + a = 397
172 + (172 + 53) = 397 so 172 + 225 = 397

Adult tickets sold: 225
Student tickets sold: 172