SOLUTION: How would u solve a systems of equations applications like this one. A class divides into two groups for a science experiment. the first group has five fewer students than the sec

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Question 272430: How would u solve a systems of equations applications like this one.
A class divides into two groups for a science experiment. the first group has five fewer students than the second group. if there are 27 students in the class, how many students are in each group?
Answer by oberobic(2304) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The class has 27 students divided into two groups.
x = number of students in one group
y = number of students in the other group
x + y = 27 describes the whole class.
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One group has 5 fewer than the other. This can be shown as:
x = y + 5 :: which means y has 5 fewer than x
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this can be solved as a system of equations.
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x + y = 27
x - y = 5
add them
2x = 32
x = 16
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which means
y = 27 - 16 = 11
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Answer:
One group has 16 and the other has 11.
.
Done.