The sum of two numbers is 38 . The smaller number is 10 less than the larger number. What are the numbers?

Question

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Answer 1

The sum of two numbers is 38 . The smaller number is 10 less than the larger number. What are the numbers?

Let the two numbers be x and y. Then ...

x + y = 38   (The sum of two numbers is 38)

x = y - 10    (The smaller number is 10 less than the larger)

We can rewrite these two equations  as,

x + y = 38

x - y = -10

Now add the two equations together to get,

2x = 28

x = 14

y = 24

The two numbers are: 14 and 24.