<PRE><B>Question 278910</B>
&gt;&gt;...The sum of three numbers is 72...&lt;&lt; 
&lt;pre&gt;&lt;font size = 4 color = &quot;indigo&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;
Smallest + Middle + Largest = 72

{{{S+M+L=72}}}
&lt;/pre&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/b&gt;
&gt;&gt;...The middle number is one less than three times the smallest number...&lt;&lt; 
&lt;pre&gt;&lt;font size = 4 color = &quot;indigo&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;
Middle = 3 times Smallest minus 1.

{{{M=3S-1}}}
&lt;/pre&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/b&gt;
&gt;&gt;...The sum of the smallest and the middle number plus ten equals the largest number...&lt;&lt;
&lt;pre&gt;&lt;font size = 4 color = &quot;indigo&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;
Smallest + Middle + 10 = Largest

{{{S+M+10=L}}}

So you have this system:

{{{system(S+M+L=72,M=3S-1,S+M+10=L)}}}

Can you solve that system?  If not post again asking how.

Answer: S = smallest = 8, M = middle = 23, L = largest = 41

Edwin&lt;/pre&gt;</PRE>