Question

How do I set this up and how do I solve:

The sum of two numbers is 20 The difference between 3 times the larger number and twice the smaller number is 40. What is the larger number?

Answer 1

let the larger be x
let the smaller be 20-x

Now just translate ...
three times the larger ---> 3x
twice the smaller ---> 2(20-x)

that "difference" is 40
3x - 2(20-x) = 40
3x - 40 + 2x = 40
5x = 80
x = 16

the larger is 16

(the smaller is 4)

Answer 2

Reiny, thank you so much. You broke it down so it was easy to understand.