SOLUTION: One number is 12 more than another. The sum of the smaller number and twice the larger number is 39. Find the larger number.

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Question 70245: One number is 12 more than another. The sum of the smaller number and twice the larger number is 39. Find the larger number.
Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let L=larger number and S=smaller. The larger number (L) can be represented as 12 more than the smaller (or equal to 12+smaller). So
L=12%2BS
And we're given the fact that the sum of the smaller and twice the larger is 39 which can be represented as
S%2B2L=39
Now the L from the first equation can be substituted into the 2nd equation
S%2B2%2Ahighlight%2812%2BS%29=39Now solve for S
S%2B24%2B2S=39
3S%2B24=39
3S=15
S=5
Now plug this back into the first equation
L=12%2Bhighlight%285%29
L=17
So the smaller number is 5 and the larger is 17.