Question 229176
One number is 13 more than another, and the sum of the smaller number and twice the larger number is 50. Find the two numbers.

This is what I tried.  x + y = 50
<pre><b>

No! That would say that the sum of the numbers is 50. You
don't have that.

                       y = 2x + 13

No!  That would say that the larger is 13 more than twice the smaller.
You don't have that, either.

Let's read more carefully:

Let the smaller be x and the larger be y.

>>...One number is 13 more than another...<<

That says the larger is the smaller plus 13, or

y = x + 13

Now read:

>>...the sum of the smaller number and twice the larger number is 50...<<

The smaller plus 2 times the larger is 50, or
                       
                       x + 2y = 50

So you have the system:

{{{system(y=x+13,x+2y=50)}}}

Solve that and get x=8 and y = 21.

Edwin</pre>