Question

The total amount of water in 2 containers is 35quarts. If 7 quarts gets poured from the container with less water into the continer with more water, the container with more water will have 4times as much water as the other container. How many quarts are in the container with less water? Also is it asking for the quarts before or after the water was taken away?

Answer 1

if gets poured ... will have

not --- was poured ... has

so, before pouring

L + M = 35 ... M = 35 - L

4 (L - 7) = M + 7 ... 4 L = M + 35

substituting ... 4 L = 35 - L + 35
... solve for L

Answer 2

Initially:
X qts. in first container.
35 - x qts. in the 2nd container.

(35-x)+7 = 4(x-7).
42-x = 4x - 28,
5x = 70,
X = 14.
x-7 = 14 - 7 = 7 qts. in container with less water.