SOLUTION: If Lori gives Cameron 5 eggs, he will have three times as many eggs as Lori. If Cameron gives Lori 5 eggs, they will have the same number of eggs. How many eggs do they each have?

Algebra ->  Customizable Word Problem Solvers  -> Numbers -> SOLUTION: If Lori gives Cameron 5 eggs, he will have three times as many eggs as Lori. If Cameron gives Lori 5 eggs, they will have the same number of eggs. How many eggs do they each have?      Log On

Ad: Over 600 Algebra Word Problems at edhelper.com


    

Question 188201: If Lori gives Cameron 5 eggs, he will have three times as many eggs as Lori. If Cameron gives Lori 5 eggs, they will have the same number of eggs. How many eggs do they each have?
Answer by solver91311(24713) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

Lori has x eggs, and if she gives away 5, she will have x - 5 eggs.

Cameron has y eggs, and if he gets 5 from Lori, he will have y + 5 eggs.

Three times as many as Lori has after she gives away 5 is 3(x - 5) = 3x - 15 and this is the same as what Cameron has after he gets 5, so:



By a similar analysis, if Cameron gives Lori 5 eggs, we have:



Solve this second equation for y by adding 5 to both sides:



Substitute this expression for y into the other equation:



And solve for x:







So Lori starts out with 15 eggs.

Substitute x = 15 into either of the equations:



So Cameron starts out with 25 eggs.

15 minus 5 = 10, and 25 plus 5 = 30, and 30 is 3 times 10.

15 plus 5 is 20 and 25 minus 5 is 20. Answer checks.


John