SOLUTION: A natural number is 5 less than four times another natural number. If the larger number is between 15 and 55, find the difference between the largest and smallest possible values o

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Question 1132874: A natural number is 5 less than four times another natural number. If the larger number is between 15 and 55, find the difference between the largest and smallest possible values of the smaller number.
Found 2 solutions by Theo, greenestamps:
Answer by Theo(13342) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
let x = the larger number.
let y = the smaller number.

the equation to model this situation is x = 4y - 5.

if the larger number is between 15 and 55, then:

15 = 4y - 5 and 55 = 4y - 5.

solve for y in both equations.

you will get y = 5 and y = 15.

the larger number is between 15 and 55.
the smaller number is between 5 and 15.

15 is equal to 4 * 5 - 5 = 20 - 5 = 15.
55 is equal to 4 * 15 - 5 = 60 - 5 = 55.


Answer by greenestamps(13200) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!


Let the smaller number be x and the larger number be y. Then the given information tells us the two are related by

y+=+4x-5

Since the larger number y is to be between 15 and 55,

15+%3C=+4x-5+%3C=+55
20+%3C=+4x+%3C=+60
5+%3C=+x+%3C=+15

ANSWER: The difference between the largest and smallest possible values for the smaller number, x, is 15-5 = 10.