SOLUTION: The sum of two numbers is 25. The sum of their reciprocals is 1/4. Determine the two numbers.

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Question 1189179: The sum of two numbers is 25. The sum of their reciprocals is 1/4. Determine the two numbers.
Found 2 solutions by Alan3354, ikleyn:
Answer by Alan3354(69443)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The sum of two numbers is 25. The sum of their reciprocals is 1/4. Determine the two numbers.
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x+y = 25 --> y = 25-x



Sub for y



Solved by pluggable solver: SOLVE quadratic equation (work shown, graph etc)
Quadratic equation (in our case ) has the following solutons:



For these solutions to exist, the discriminant should not be a negative number.

First, we need to compute the discriminant : .

Discriminant d=225 is greater than zero. That means that there are two solutions: .




Quadratic expression can be factored:

Again, the answer is: 20, 5. Here's your graph:

=================
5 and 20




Answer by ikleyn(53765)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.
The sum of two numbers is 25. The sum of their reciprocals is 1/4. Determine the two numbers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your starting equations are

    x + y = 25           (1)

     +  =         (2)


From equation (2)

     ] 

    4*(x+y) = xy


Replace here x+y by 25, based on equation (1).  You will get

    xy = 4*25 = 100.


So, you have two equations

    x + y = 25       (3)

     xy   = 100      (4)


From here, the  ANSWER  is OBVIOUS:  (x,y) = (20,5)  or  (5,20).      (*)


If you want to get formal solution, express  x = 25-y from (3) and substitute it to (4).  You will get

    (25-y)*y = 100

    25y - y^2 = 100

    y^2 - 25y + 100 = o

    (y-20)*(y-5) = 0

giving two possibilities  y= 20  or  y= 5.


They lead to answer (*): the numbers are 5 and 20, in any order.

Solved.



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