SOLUTION: A baseball team played 172 complete games last season. They had 20 fewer wins than losses. How many games did the team win? A.172 games B.76 games C.96 games D.20 games

Algebra ->  Finance -> SOLUTION: A baseball team played 172 complete games last season. They had 20 fewer wins than losses. How many games did the team win? A.172 games B.76 games C.96 games D.20 games       Log On


   

Question 1120408: A baseball team played 172 complete games last season. They had 20 fewer wins than losses. How many games did the team win?
A.172 games
B.76 games
C.96 games
D.20 games
Found 2 solutions by ikleyn, greenestamps:
Answer by ikleyn(52765) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.
loss + win = 172
loss - win =  20
---------------------------Add the equations

2*loss = 172 + 20 = 192  ====>  loss = 192%2F2 = 96.


win = 172 - 96 = 76.

Solved.



Answer by greenestamps(13197) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!


Tutor @ikleyn solved the problem using a sort of informal algebraic method, which of course is fine.

Here is a way to be even less formal to find the solution.

(1) Take away those "extra" 20 losses. That leaves 172-20=152 games, with equal numbers of wins and losses; that makes 76 wins and 76 losses.
(2) Now add back those 20 losses to get the final answer: 76 wins and 76+20 = 96 losses.