SOLUTION: the sum of two numbers is 20 and their difference is 12

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Question 1141593: the sum of two numbers is 20 and their difference is 12
Answer by greenestamps(13203) About Me  (Show Source):
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16 and 4.

Picture the 20 and 12 on a number line. The 20 is what you get when you ADD the second number to the first; the 12 is what you get when you SUBTRACT the second number from the first.

That means the first number is halfway between 12 and 20 -- 16. And so the second number is 4 (the difference between 16 and 20 or between 16 and 12).

You see this kind of problem frequently; this is an easy way to solve them.

If you need a formal algebraic solution...

x+y = 20
x-y = 12

Solve by any of a number of basic methods.