document.write( "Question 573778: The difference of two positive numbers is 16. One number is 3 times the other. Find the two numbers. \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #368861 by mathsmiles(68)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let's use X and Y to mean the two positive numbers we're looking for.
\n" ); document.write( "The difference between these is 16, so let's assume X is the bigger number.
\n" ); document.write( "X - Y = 16\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"One number\" is 3 times the other. Since we already said X is the bigger number, then
\n" ); document.write( "X = 3Y\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now we can solve since we have everything we need. :-) Since we already have one equation for X, let's use substitution method. We'll plug \"X=3Y\" into the first formula in place of X. Then we can solve for Y first.
\n" ); document.write( "X - Y = 16
\n" ); document.write( "(3Y) - Y = 16
\n" ); document.write( "simplifying:
\n" ); document.write( "2Y = 16
\n" ); document.write( "Divide by 2 on both sides:
\n" ); document.write( "Y = 8
\n" ); document.write( "Since X is 3Y,
\n" ); document.write( "X = 3(8)
\n" ); document.write( "X = 24\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Checking the first equation:
\n" ); document.write( "X - Y = 16
\n" ); document.write( "24 - 8 = 16
\n" ); document.write( "16 = 16 Correct! \n" ); document.write( "
\n" );