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)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! \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 \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( " \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. \n" ); document.write( " |