Question 463334
"The larger of two numbers is 1 less than 3 times the smaller. If 3 times the larger is 5 more than 8 times the smaller, find the numbers."


x = smaller number
3x - 1 = larger number {larger is one less than three times smaller}


3(3x - 1) = 8x + 5 {three times larger is five more than eight times smaller}
9x - 3 = 8x + 5 {used distributive property on left side}
9x = 8x + 8 {added 3 to both sides}
x = 8 {subtracted 8x from both sides}
3x - 1 = 23 {substituted 8, in for x, into 3x - 1}


smaller is 8 and the larger is 23
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