SOLUTION: The difference of two numbers is subtracted from their sum. What can be said about the answer?

Algebra.Com
Question 660300: The difference of two numbers is subtracted from their sum. What can be said about the answer?
Found 2 solutions by kevwill, math-vortex:
Answer by kevwill(135)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let x and y be the two numbers. There are two cases: (1) we subtract y from x to get the difference (y is the minuend and x is the subtrahend), and (2) we subtract x from y to get the difference (x is the minuend and y is the subtrahend).
In the first case:
n = (x+y) - (x-y)
n = x + y - x + y
n = 2y
In the second case:
n = (x+y) - (y-x)
n = x + y - y + x
n = 2x
So we can say that the answer is twice the the number we choose for the subtrahend when we find the difference of the two numbers.
Answer by math-vortex(648)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Hi, there---

The Problem:
The difference of two numbers is subtracted from their sum. What can be said about the 
answer?

Solution:
Let n be larger number.
Let m be the smaller number.

Their difference is n-m.

Their sum is n+m.

Subtract the difference of the two numbers from their sum:

n + m - (n - m) = n + m - n + m = 2m

In the context of this problem, 2m means "twice the smaller number." When we find the 
positive difference between two numbers (larger minus smaller) and subtract it from the sum 
of the numbers, the answer will always be twice the larger number.

Mrs. Figgy
math.in.the.vortex@gmail.com


RELATED QUESTIONS

Solve the problem. The sum of two numbers is 12. If one number is subtracted from the... (answered by sofiyac)
The sum of two numbers is 2. If one number is subtracted from the other, their... (answered by mathman409,bucky,Quackpot rocks)
the sum of two numbers is 17. if one number is subtracted from the other, their... (answered by Alan3354)
The sum of two numbers is 15. If one number is subtracted from the other, their... (answered by ikleyn)
the sum of two numbers is 12.if one number is subtracted from twice the other, their... (answered by Okamiden,MathTherapy)
the sum of two numbers is 16 when the small number is subtracted from two times the... (answered by jim_thompson5910)
When 13 is subtracted from the sum of two consecutive numbers, the answer is 18. What are (answered by Fombitz)
when two angles have equal measures, what can be said about the measures of their... (answered by oscargut)
The sum of two numbers is 22 when the larger number is subtracted from three times the... (answered by jim_thompson5910,RAY100)