Homework Help: advance algebra

Posted by A-D on Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 5:56am.

find three numbers such that the second is 6 less than 3 times the first , and the third is 2 more than 2/3 of the 2nd.The sum of the three numbers is 172.

use x=1st number
y=second number
z= 3rd number

please help...thanks a lot!!

advance algebra - Reiny, Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 9:45am
You have 3 consecutive questions of this type.
Why do you want to use 3 variables, it is much easier to just define one, and the use the given to define the others.

e.g.
let the first number be x
then the 2nd number is 3x-6
and the 3rd is (2/3)(3x-6) + 2 = 2x -4 + 2 = 2x - 2

then x + 3x-6 + 2x-2 = 172
6x = 180
x = 30

1st = 30
2nd = 3(30)-6 = 84
3rd = 58

check: 30+84+58 = 172

try the others using only one variable.

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