Question

How would you set this problem up and work it: The difference between two numbers is 16. Three times the larger number is seven times the smaller. What are the numbers?

This one also: The differnce between two numbers is 18. The sum of twice the smaller number and three times the larger is 74. What are the numbers?

Answer 1

just take each fact presented and express it symbolically.

#1.
m,n are the numbers
m-n=16
3m = 7n
now solve:
3m-3n=48
7n-3n=48
4n=48
n=12
so, m=28

#2.
m-n=18
2n+3m=74
2n + 3(n+18) = 74
5n + 54 = 74
5n=20
n=4
so, m=22

Answer 2

Five times a whole number,x, is subtracted from 62. The result is less than 40. Find the three lowest values of x