SOLUTION: The difference of two problems is 33. The second is 7 less than 3 times the first. What are the two numbers?

Question 112245: The difference of two problems is 33. The second is 7 less than 3 times the first. What are the two numbers?
Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Translate the following:

"The difference of two problems is 33"--->
"The second is 7 less than 3 times the first"---->

Start with the given system

Plug in into the first equation. In other words, replace each with . Notice we've eliminated the variables. So we now have a simple equation with one unknown.

Combine like terms on the left side

Add 7 to both sides

Combine like terms on the right side

Divide both sides by 2 to isolate x

Divide

Now that we know that , we can plug this into to find

Substitute for each

Simplify

So our answer is and

So the two numbers are 20 and 53
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