SOLUTION: a molecule of octane has 26 atoms. if there are 6 fewer hydrogen atoms than 3 times the number of carbon atoms, how many atoms of each does it contain?

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Question 475289: a molecule of octane has 26 atoms. if there are 6 fewer hydrogen atoms than 3 times the number of carbon atoms, how many atoms of each does it contain?
Answer by richard1234(7193) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
We can let C and H be the number of carbon and hydrogen atoms. Then C + H = 26, and H = 3C - 6. Substituting our expression for H, we get C + (3C - 6) = 26, 4C - 6 = 26, C = 8. Since C + H = 26, we get H = 18.

Or, if you know that octane is you can skip right to the answer...chemistry teachers might like this but probably not math teachers...