document.write( "Question 1111018: The sum of the reciprocals of two numbers is 7 and the difference of the reciprocals is 3. What are the numbers? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #726015 by greenestamps(13200)\"\" \"About 
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\n" ); document.write( "You have received two good solutions, very similar to each other, from other tutors.

\n" ); document.write( "Here is a suggestion for a different approach you might find easier.

\n" ); document.write( "Let the two numbers we are looking be x and y. We know \"1%2Fx%2B1%2Fy+=+7\" and \"1%2Fx-1%2Fy+=+3\".

\n" ); document.write( "Working with fractions is more difficult than working with whole numbers. So

\n" ); document.write( "let a = 1/x
\n" ); document.write( "let b = 1/y

\n" ); document.write( "then the two equations are
\n" ); document.write( "\"a%2Bb+=+7\" and \"a-b+=+3\"

\n" ); document.write( "That pair of equations is easily solved to find a=5 and b=2.

\n" ); document.write( "Then, to finish the original problem,
\n" ); document.write( "x = 1/a = 1/5
\n" ); document.write( "y = 1/b = 1/2

\n" ); document.write( "The two numbers are 1/5 and 1/2.
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